Knowing ways to advocate for multilingual learners isn’t just a job for teachers, it is something the whole community (even kiddos) can be involved in!
As an educator of over 25 years and an assistant professor at Georgian Court University in central New Jersey, Dr. Denise Furlong has been passionate about bridging the gap between what people don’t understand about multilingual learners.
In this episode, she talks about how to engage the younger generations in ways that help them appreciate other cultures and the great strengths that come with being multilingual.
You will hear a bit about Denise’s book, Voices of Newcomers, and her insight on how important it is to use language in a way that realizes the value of being a multilingual learner. She also sheds light on some of the unique challenges of learning new languages in a different culture and how we can be better at advocating for learners in our communities.
She also shares some recommendations for the best ways that we can better understand the needs of multilingual learners- including becoming a learner yourself!
Denise has such a positive and inspiring take on this topic and even challenges us all to step out of our comfort zones to further our learning and understanding of others. Don’t miss it!
Listen To The Full Episode on Multilingual Learners Here:
Resources:
- Connect with Denise on LinkedIn, X(Twitter), or Instagram
- Voices of Newcomers: Experiences of Multilingual Learners by Denise Furlong
- Duolingo
- Follow Miranda on Instagram and YouTube
- Did you catch last season’s episode about passing down generational lessons and cultural appreciation to children? Listen here!
- Subscribe to the MSquared Books Podcast
Shareable Quotes:
- “I’m a firm believer that advocacy starts at the dinner table. The ways we speak with our families is how they establish their norms. If we have those conversations about equity and diversity in a positive way, then our family, friends, and other circles will internalize advocacy as their place in this world.” – Dr. Denise Furlong
- “Nothing builds more empathy for language learners than going through it ourselves.” – Dr. Denise Furlong
- “Stepping outside of where we’re comfortable is where we’re ALL going to learn.” – Dr. Denise Furlong
Take Action:
- Read diverse books.
- Talk to kids about people in your community who may be different and from different places.
- Talk about world events with kids.
- Start learning a language!
Thank you so much for listening to the show! We want to hear from you if you are interested in a certain topic or even if you want to join us on the podcast. Please reach out to Miranda via email or through the website if you have suggestions, feedback, or interest in being on the show.
Last season was filled with so many great conversations that gave us important insight into all kinds of safety and learning scenarios. This second season, we hope to bring more of that!
Be sure to check out last season’s episodes if you haven’t already (Start here!) and follow along on Instagram to get more updates in the coming months!
Please Note:
- This podcast is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional legal, health, or safety advice.
- Please use discretion when acting on information on this show. Know your own situation may be different from the scenarios discussed on this show, so all advice or insight may not be applicable to your situation.
- All guest’s views are their own and may not reflect the views of Miranda Mathis or MSquared Books.