Language diversity helps our students shine

When people think of multilingual learners, they often imagine students who recently arrived from another country and are learning English for the first time. In our district, the picture is much broader. Nearly half of our multilingual learners were born in the United States and arrived at school already speaking more than one language at home. That means students often come with valuable language skills and cultural knowledge already in place. Bethel’s Multilingual Education (MLE) program builds on those strengths while helping students grow academically and socially. Across the district, our students speak more than 76 languages, reflecting the diversity that makes the community strong. The district’s MLE program supports students as they continue developing English while maintaining pride in the languages and cultures they bring with them. One major focus of the program is helping students master academic English by helping build the vocabulary and communication skills needed for success in every subject area. But it's not just about academics. There are also long-term cognitive benefits connected to multilingualism. Students who regularly think, read, and communicate in more than one language are constantly strengthening important brain pathways connected to memory, problem solving, and adaptability. “One thing that they have found with our multilingual learners is that when they're having to think in more than one language, their brains are constantly making those new neural pathways. And so what happens is multilingual students just have these really strong pathways for learning,” said Carla Louck, Secondary MLE TOSA. Those benefits extend well beyond the classroom. In today’s world, being able to communicate in more than one language is an advantage in careers, higher education, travel, and everyday life. “Multilingualism in general is just such a strong skill to have, to be able to think and talk in more than one language has a lot of great benefits. I love that our school district has a Dual Language program so that we are really thinking about how that can impact student learning,” Louck said. The community will have a chance to celebrate that work at our annual Family Fun Night on May 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Spanaway Lake High School. This special evening brings together students, families, and staff for a vibrant celebration of culture, language, and community featuring food, interactive booths, and student performances. All are welcome to attend.