Joan R. Lachance

Your guide to culturally and linguistically sustaining practices in your dual language classroom and school. It’s time to set the record straight: Multilingualism is a tremendous asset that must be nurtured and valued and the most effective pathway to multilingualism is dual language education. Despite significant evidence attesting to the cognitive, social/emotional, and economic benefits of multilingualism, the majority of our classrooms and schools are monolingual. Encouragingly, recent shifts in state policies have increased the demand for dual language programming in our schools. This increased momentum brings new challenges, including the need for more bilingually authorized teachers, high-quality instructional resources, and accurate assessment and accountability in the target languages of instruction. With contributions from ten experts in multilingual education, Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall outlines the systemic and pedagogical approaches necessary for successful multilingual and dual language programs. The book supports educators to: Shift the paradigm from one that is subtractive and deficit-based to one that is additive and assets-basedEmbed culturally and linguistically sustaining practices in their instructionUnderstand how to promote multilingualism in the context of teaching academic contentDevelop assessments as, for, and of learning in multiple languages.Lead high-quality dual language schools and programsRecruit and retain highly qualified bilingual educators Offering a comprehensive overview of bilingual policies and historical context all educators should understand, Breaking Down the Monolingual Wall is an invaluable guide to creating dual language learning environments that build on the precious assets of our multilingual students and families.

Teaching dual language learners? You’re not alone! When implemented with commitment to collaboration, dual language programs work—and two teachers are better than one. Leveraging the power of teacher collaboration is the key to leading all your students to multilingual identity development and language, literacy, and academic success. This practical book adapts a widely used, evidence-based collaboration and co-teaching framework specifically for educators in dual language contexts. Features include: Special consideration to social justice and promoting critical consciousnessViable options for schools, districts, and state education agencies to effectively support and expand dual language educationSeven proven co-teaching models, newly applied to elementary and secondary dual language environmentsTemplates and tools for collaborative curriculum alignment and implementation of dual language instructionAuthentic examples of success from collaborative dual language teams around the US and beyond More and more schools are implementing dual language programs to serve multilingual learners. This first-of-its-kind innovative resource helps collaborating educators work together to design, deliver, and assess engaging instruction for multilingualism and multiliteracies.