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Building Access for Multilingual Learners

"Reads: Building Access to History for Multilingual Learners and logos for the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies and 'Member of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium'"

Teaching the Language of Social Studies

Language-aware lessons support all students, especially Multilingual Learners who are still developing in English, access primary-source rich learning. 

     

    Document Based Question (DBQ) Access for Multilingual Learners

    Through the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies (MCSS) DBQ project site, access resources that are freely available and adaptable, with teaching examples and step-by-step instructions for scaffolding for early-proficient and later-proficient multilingual learners. An open source lesson is analyzed step-by-step to show teachers how to adapt DBQ-type lessons to fully include English newcomers at all levels of proficiency. 

    DBQ Access for Multilingual Learners Project Site

       

       

      Lessons and Strategies for Language Aware Teaching and Learning  

      The MCSS, funded by a Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grant (2021-2024). collaborated with Emerging America and other organizations to increase multilingual learner access to the social studies.  

      • Model Lessons (links below):
        • Language-Aware examples support classrooms with one or more multilingual students. The illustrate strategies to support language learning while teaching content with primary sources. 
        • English as a Second Language (ESL) examples support classrooms where language acquisition is the main focus. They illustrate how ESL educators can use primary sources as they support language skill development. 

       

      Suggested citation for language-aware lessons below: Audet, A. and Noyes, A. (2022). Suggested citation for ESL lessons linked below: Audet, A. and LaFrance, J. (2023). Title for all citations: Primary source lessons demonstrating practical applications of WIDA 2020 principles and resources for elementary, middle school, and high school social studies teaching. Extending the reach of primary sources: English Learner Collaborations project of the Massachusetts Council for the Social Studies. http://www.emergingamerica.org/english-learner-collaborations. 

       

      Newspaper advertisement from 1767 with woodcut of sailing ship advertising goods for sale
      Language-aware examples: Colonial Daily Life (3rd Grade)
      Lessons with a Colonial newspaper engage students in inquiry while supporting all students, including any Multilingual Learners, to develop skills in specifying, summarizing, and s
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      Parchment-colored printing of the first ten amendments of the US Constitution with ornamental printing.
      Language-aware examples: Does the First Amendment say you can? (8th Grade)
      8th graders explore free speech rights of students through analysis of Supreme Court decisions, answering text-dependent questions, scaffolds for active reading, and practice stati
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      Men in suits, some wearing a minister's clerical collar, carry picket signs reading "Segregation is Morally Wrong" in front of a Woolworths store.
      Language-aware examples: Is it ever okay to break a law? (High School)
      Supported exploration of written sources and contemporary art and photos, students explore principles of non-violent civil disobedience, and will be able to provide ex
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      a round metal pan with a curved lid with many round holes and wooden handle
      ESL examples: Colonial Daily Life (3rd Grade)
      Exploring timelines, reading dates aloud and constructing their own personal timeline helps multilingual learners to connect lives of colonial people of Massachusetts to their own
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      A Supreme Court decision, shown with heading, "Supreme Court of the United States" and first paragraph.
      ESL examples: Can you always speak your mind freely in schools? (8th grade)
      Students will practice with language at the discourse, sentence, and word/phrase level while exploring Supreme Court primary sources connected to free speech in schools.
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      At a tin water dispenser labeled "Colored" a young black man drinks from a paper cup.
      ESL examples: Is it ever ok to break a law? (High School)
      Although this series of lessons utilizes sources from the Civil Rights Movement, the topic of focus could be changed to better support student needs or to better align to your topi
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      Upcoming Workshops

      Building Access to DBQs for Multilingual Learners - ILC
      View Workshop
      The Multilingual Learner Collaborations project of the Massachusetts Council for the Social studies is presenting in the Immigrant Learning Center public educat…
      Teaching Disability History Conference - July 8, 2025 - Keene, New Hampshire
      View Workshop
      Keene State College (KSC) received a Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) project grant in October, 2024. Link to the project announcement.