Teaching Strategies for Bilingual Educators

Today’s post is written by Barbara, owner and creator of Spanish4Kiddos and Crafts4Kiddos, sites dedicated to enhancing Spanish learning with fun learning activities, ebooks, and interactive games. Barbara is a bilingual educator, teacher, and consultant who serves bilingual families, teachers, and educators with English and Spanish resources to teach Spanish, ELL, or dual language programs. She has professional science degrees that encourage the creation of fun activities to enhance Spanish bilingual learning.

Teaching strategies for bilingual educators consist primarily of basic techniques. These techniques usually entail flashcards, word games, and perhaps videos. Nowadays, teaching strategies for language learning can consist of advanced technological tools. These tools include AI (artificial intelligence) programming, virtual learning, and interactive tools. A bilingual teachers’ toolbox now includes many options to facilitate teaching. However, there are disadvantages to using only technological tools for language learning. 

AI Tools as a Teaching Strategy

The future of language learning is here with AI programming. Artificial intelligence (AI) is influential in language and writing in education. Furthermore, AI influences how students learn, take assessments, and interact with the language. Many apps and tools already implement AI technology as a teaching strategy. 

• For example, ChatGPT, Duolingo, Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone, and Babbel use AI programming for language learning. 
• These language learning programs assist with pronunciation, language patterns, speech recognition, and accent patterns. 
• Other apps like Gradescope, Cognii, Brainly, and Memrise help bilingual educators with grading, which includes essay responses, group management, study skills, and monitoring students’ progress. 
• However, these AI tools cannot recognize cultural traditions, idioms, and emotional aspects of students’ challenges and struggles. 
• AI technology as a teaching strategy is a remarkable tool for bilingual educators to minimize administrative tasks like grading, evaluating students’ progress, and even lesson planning. 

Regardless of how well the program for AI performs, these tools still need human teachers to understand students’ struggles and needs. That is, teachers know their students the best and when to differentiate a lesson or assessment to accommodate the needs of the class. 

Virtual Teaching Using Technology Besides AI

AI technology easily offers quick solutions to language learning for educators. In the same way, virtual teaching has impacted language learning. 

Besides AI tools, virtual teaching uses other technology to supplement students’ learning. With the advancements in computers and personal devices, virtual teaching uses simple tools as a teaching strategy. 

• For instance, Chrome extensions are perhaps the most widely used tools. 
• Many schools include Chromebooks or laptops for language learning. 
• These devices implement fun and engaging language learning with apps and extensions. 
• Examples include EdPuzzle, Loom, InsertLearning, Quizlet, BrainPop, ClassDojo, Prodigy, and Kahoot. 

While AI programming may offer individualized personalized learning, virtual teaching offers human interaction with group activities, projects with teacher feedback, and in-depth learning. As with any teaching tool, teachers facilitate students’ learning by knowing what each student needs to succeed. 

Unlike a program that formulates responses based on student data, bilingual educators offer engaging learning that promotes students’ progress. Human interaction is a teaching strategy that no machine can replace. 

Traditional Classroom Kinesthetic Activities

As AI programming and virtual teaching take hold of language learning, traditional learning is still necessary in the classroom. Hands-on activities as teaching strategies are essential for preschoolers and early childhood students. 

These kinesthetic activities emphasize how students grasp simple concepts like vocabulary and interaction between classmates. Group discussion is vital in the classroom to learn communication and social skills. 

• For example, a simple game of bingo or matching is an excellent opportunity to learn new words or terms. 
• Many classrooms have projectors or SMART boards. 
• You can easily create an interactive game of matching words with vocabulary terms and display them on the board. 
• You can also create small group discussions with read-aloud sessions. 
• In this way, you offer immediate feedback if necessary or evaluate later. 
• Moreover, hands-on activities enhance the fine motor skills of students. 

A simple teaching strategy of cut and paste or coloring can encourage the development of fine motor skills. 

Besides fine motor skills, traditional teaching strategies in the classroom support reading comprehension. Moreover, bilingual educators can get involved in reading sessions with small groups or read-aloud sessions in class. These sessions can include reading passages in English and Spanish with context exercises such as open-ended questions, fill-in-the-blank words, or just pointing to an image. 

Hence, traditional teaching strategies are still relevant for student learning. Technology is a supplement to help educators, not replace them, especially when bilingual educators have to differentiate and determine the learning needs of students.

Summary of Teaching Strategies for Bilingual Educators

Teaching strategies for bilingual educators can include more than AI programming and virtual teaching. Bilingual educators need support from all aspects of technology and classroom teaching strategies. As bilingual classrooms become more diverse, the need for differentiation of lessons is essential. With the help of AI tools, virtual teaching, and hands-on activities, bilingual students can succeed in language learning.