Recent demographic trends reveal that in some Canadian schools, over 30% of students are newcomers or English Language Learners (ELLs) (Statistics Canada, 2021). This is particularly evident in provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, where many classrooms now reflect a rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic diversity.

This growing diversity underscores the urgent need for culturally and linguistically responsive teaching. Research shows that when instructional strategies value students' cultural identities and support language development within content areas, academic outcomes improve significantly (Lucas, Villegas, & Freedson-Gonzalez, 2008; Gibbons, 2015).

As part of my ongoing research in EAL pedagogy, I am currently examining how scaffolding, the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), and visual supports can enhance academic engagement and equity for multilingual learners in mainstream classrooms.

📖 This work aims to inform inclusive teaching practices and contribute to the growing body of literature on effective strategies for EAL students in elementary education.

Selected References

• Statistics Canada. (2021). Immigrant and ethnocultural diversity in Canada.
• Lucas, T., Villegas, A. M., & Freedson-Gonzalez, M. (2008). Linguistically responsive teacher education: Preparing classroom teachers to teach English language learners.
• Gibbons, P. (2015). Scaffolding language, scaffolding learning: Teaching second language learners in the mainstream classroom.