Featured guest blog for Heddle EAL: In this article, I explore why language development cannot happen in isolation from silence, identity, and belonging. I share how multilingual learners move from finding their voice to developing the academic language needed to thrive in school.

Understanding the Experience of a New EAL Student For many teachers, welcoming a new EAL student into the classroom can feel overwhelming. Questions quickly begin to surface: How much English do they understand? Should I simplify all my lessons? What if they do not speak at all? How can I support them while teaching the rest of the class? These concerns are completely normal. However, one of the most important things teachers can do first is understand what the student may ac