Written by Alison Mollel with contributions by Esther Bettney, Kerry Bishop, Tikva Chofi and Rob Martin
It is fair to say that most of us were thrown into this new online teaching world almost overnight. Some schools saw the wave rolling towards them and were able to have a few days or, if they were lucky, weeks to prepare for this new teaching and learning experience. However, other schools and educators had very little time to prepare but regardless of the preparation time, we have all been learning as we go. As the school year has ended for many and we have a moment to breathe, we can take time to look at some of the things we have learned on our journey as we have strived to support our multilingual students the best we can. Opening the next school year online is a possibility for many schools internationally, so what must we make sure we have in place in order to most effectively support our multilingual students.
We would love to hear what you think as you reflect on this past year and look toward the next school year. Please join a global community of educators on the WIDA Flipgrid to connect and share ideas about teaching multilingual learners online.
Alison Mollel is the Primary English Language Support Teacher/Whole School Home Language Coordinator at Luanda International School, Angola.
Esther Bettney is a Project Assistant with the WIDA International Programs and a PhD Candidate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Kerry Bishop is an Elementary EAL Teacher at Lincoln Community School, Ghana.
Tikva Chofi works at The American School of Kinshasa as an Elementary EAL Specialist, DR Congo.
Rob Martin is an EAL Specialist at the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia.
The Association of International Schools in Africa is dedicated to serving its members throughout Africa during this challenging time. Please let us know if you require additional or specific information, resources and or support, and we will endeavour to assist you as soon as possible.