💬 Let’s Talk About Supporting Our Multilingual Learners—Together

Hey educators,

Let’s have a real conversation about something I am passionate about: Multilingual Learners (MLs)—also known as English Learners (ELs).

If you're like most teachers I know, you’re already doing so much to support these students. But at the same time, you might be wondering: How can I do this even better? How do I make sure all students—not just native English speakers—are fully engaged, confident, and truly participating in academic conversations?

EmpowerED Coaching can help. 

Why This Matters

In California alone, we have over 1.1 million English Learners, speaking over 108 different languages. That’s a huge number—and it means every classroom, at every level, needs strategies that work specifically for multilingual students.

I recently attended the CABE Conference in Long Beach and left more energized than ever about this work. Sessions like:

• “Coaching for Multilingual Excellence” by Dr. Margarita Espino Calderon

• “Targeted EL PD to Enhance Site Programs” by Dr. Kathleen Cifuentes

• “Let’s Talk! Leveraging Academic Conversations for Language Learners” by Jane Choi & Robin Testa

…all confirmed what I see every day as a coach: real change happens when teachers get consistent, hands-on support and actionable strategies they can use tomorrow.

Coaching = Real Change

Let’s be honest: how often have you left a PD session thinking, “That was interesting…” but then never actually used what you learned?

Research shows only 5% of teachers apply new strategies after traditional PD. But when coaching is added to the mix—especially when it’s part of a cycle like a PLC or TLC—implementation skyrockets to 98–100%, and the impact on students is huge.

That’s the magic of our 5-Day Coaching Cycle at EmpowerED Coaching.

What Makes Our Coaching Different?

As someone who specializes in student engagement and collaboration, I know that what really moves the needle for multilingual learners is getting them talking, thinking, and working together—in academically rigorous ways.

At EmpowerED Coaching, we focus on:

✅ Language & Literacy Integration – helping you build vocabulary, embed sentence frames, and model comprehension strategies✅ Academic Conversations – like those modeled in “Let’s Talk!”—chunk & chew, co-constructed writing, purposeful listening prompts, and structured partner talk✅ Scaffolded Student Talk – guiding students from learning how to use talk to actually learning through talk✅ Cultural and SEL Integration – because language development isn’t just academic, it’s social and emotional too✅ Collaborative Reflection – where we look at what’s working, what's not, and set goals based on your students’ real needs

Practical Strategies You Can Use Tomorrow

One of the things I loved about the “Let’s Talk!” session was how practical it was. Here are some strategies we build into our coaching sessions:

🧠 Teach Listening Skills – Not just expecting students to listen, but explicitly teaching them how to listen for cause/effect, sequence, and key details💬 Chunk & Chew – Students pause mid-lesson to talk through what they’ve learned, using sentence frames and visual support✍️ Co-Constructed Responses – Build speaking and writing confidence through guided, academic responses🎤 Picture Metaphors – A creative way to get students talking about what multilingual learning feels like to them, while building language in the process

These strategies increase engagement, deepen comprehension, and give your MLs the confidence they need to participate fully in the academic life of the classroom.

Supporting All Kinds of MLs

We also know that no two multilingual learners are the same. That’s why our coaching is tailored to support:

• Newcomers

• Long-term ELs

• Students with interrupted education (SIFE)

• Dual-identified students (EL/SPED)

• Gifted MLs

• Heritage language speakers

Whether your class includes beginning-level ELs or advanced bilingual students, we meet you—and them—where you are.

Site Leaders—Let’s Build the Conditions for Teacher Growth

If you're a principal, coach, or site administrator, your leadership matters. Sessions like Dr. Cifuentes’ reminded us that teachers thrive when we:

📆 Build repetitive coaching cycles into the school year🤝 Create space for teacher reflection and voice🎯 Use data and observations to guide meaningful PD📚 Focus on real classroom strategies, not just theory

EmpowerED Coaching partners with schools to make that vision a reality—helping teachers feel supported and energized, not overwhelmed.

Final Thoughts: We’re In This Together

Multilingual learners bring so much to our classrooms—new perspectives, cultures, and strengths. But they also deserve instruction that meets their unique needs.

And you? You deserve a coach who’s in it with you—helping you grow your practice, one conversation, one goal, one strategy at a time.

So… let’s talk. Let’s collaborate. Let’s build classrooms where every student’s voice is heard—in every language.