Instructional Models for Equitable and Effective Multilingual Instruction in California

Oct 15, 2026

Explores instructional models for English language learners in California, interpreting them through three orientations: traditional (teacher-centered), progressive (student-centered), and critical (society- and power-centered). Reviews common high-impact bilingual instruction principles and strategies that support both language and content learning. Argues that existing models do not fully synthesize practices across orientations, and proposes a critical framework grounded in sociocultural and raciolinguistic contexts to better serve K-12 emergent bilingual students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Universal Design in Learning (UDL)

Universal Design in Learning (UDL) principles and strategies

Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA)

CALLA learning strategies

# Instructional Models for Equitable and Effective MultilingualInstruction in California This article offers a critical interpretation of the current trends in instructional models for Englishlanguage learners in California.We review key instructional models and analyze them from traditional(teacher-centered),progressive(student-centered),and critical orientations(society-and power-centered).These instructional models share many common effective principles and strategies forbilingual instruction that support and often accelerate language and content learning.While theseinstructional models exemplify many of the best traditional and progressive approaches to multilingualinstruction,they do not encompass critical orientation to language teaching and learning.In this articlewe argue that none of the current models synthesize high-leverage practices from all orientations andthus offer a critical framework grounded in the sociocultural and raciolinguistic contexts ofmultilingual instruction to best serve all K-12 Emergent Bilinguals(EBs)in California. Research on language and literacy development of Emergent Bilinguals(EBs)in two languages is relatively newin comparison to the research that exists on the language and literacy development of monolingual language users(Wright et al.,2015).However,there are some basic things that we know about EBs'bilingual and biliteracydevelopnent(Genesee,2004;Lindholn-Leary &Genesee,2014;Howard et al.,2018).Instruction that ainis toincrease students'achievements and access integrates academic language development,content area instruction,explicit instruction of learning strategies for both content and language acquisition,and cooperative learningembedded in sociopolitical and raciolinguistic contexts(Au,1998;Chamot&O'Malley,1994).The sociopoliticalcontext shapes and is shaped by the social conditions oflanguage and language learning(Nieto,2000)and theraciolinguistic context presumes that race andlanguage are inextricably intersectional(Alim et al.,2016).Theliterature on developing academic language for language-minority students suggests various instructional modelssucb as Project Guided Language Acquisition Design(GLAD)(Brechlel,2001),Specially Designed AcademicInstruction in English (SDAIE)(Cline &Necochea,2003),Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol(SIOP)(Short&Echevarria,1999),Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach(CALLA)(Chamot &O’Malley,1986;Johnston Nelson,2015);The Sobrato Early Academic Language(SEAL)(Hurwitz &Olsen,2018),Universal Designin Learning(UDL)(Rose &Meyer,2006),and Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education(Howard et al.,2018).This is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of instructional models for effective multilingual instructionand does not specifically address standards for language learners.We selected these models because they arecommonly used in schools with EBs in California,they are supported by empirical literature,and they represent arange of orientations.In the following section we present a summary of each of these instructional models whichincludes the model's main principles and strategies. ## Universal Design in Learning(UDL) Universal Design in Learning(UDL)is a framework developed in the 1990s that guides teachers in developinglesson plans and assessments,drawing primarily from cognitive theories oflearning,based on three main principles:representation;action and expression;and engagement(Rose &Meyer,2006).According to the principle ofrepresentation,teachers should share information in multiple formats.For example,textbooks are primarily visual.But providing text,audio,video and hands-on learning gives all learners a chance to access the material in whicheverway is best suited to their learning strengths.The second UDLprinciple is action and expression.Teachers operatingfrom this principle provide learners with multiple ways to interact and demonstrate newknowledge they havelearned in class.For example,students might get to choose betwe

FAQs

Which three orientations are used to analyze instructional models for English language learners in California?

The article analyzes models through traditional (teacher-centered), progressive (student-centered), and critical orientations focused on society and power.

What does the article say about common strengths across multilingual instruction models?

It argues these models share effective principles and strategies for bilingual instruction that can support and accelerate language and content learning.

Why does the article claim current models are not sufficient for emergent bilinguals?

It states that none of the current models synthesize high-leverage practices from all orientations, and therefore lack a critical framework grounded in sociocultural and raciolinguistic contexts.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Mafia Boss