New Orleans Public Schools
Supporting every multilingual learner — at every level
A practical framework for charter school networks, school leaders, and teachers to align their work around the success of multilingual learners across New Orleans. Choose your role to see the guidance that applies to you.
I am a…
- Viewing as: Teacher or classroom educator
High-quality instructional materials, assessment & learning strategies
Guidance for selecting, implementing, and assessing instructional materials that meet the needs of multilingual learners at every proficiency level.
Expand each guiding question to see the reflection prompts for your role — then open the full guidance document for detailed, research-backed recommendations.
How do I set appropriate goals and track progress toward them?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Have I established clear goals for both content mastery and language development?
- Do I have appropriate assessment data (such as ELPT) on student proficiency levels?
- Do I use formative and summative assessments regularly to tailor instruction?
- Do I have systems to track progress in content mastery and language development?
- How are students setting their own goals and tracking progress toward them?
- How do students utilize feedback to improve their own learning?
How do I support language acquisition alongside content?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Do I integrate language objectives into lesson plans to ensure that language learning occurs in tandem with content
instruction? - How do I explicitly teach and reinforce academic vocabulary relevant to the content area?
- Am I prioritizing literacy instruction through phonological awareness, decoding, oral reading, and rich texts?
- How am I using questioning techniques to promote deeper processing of information and active participation?
- Do my assessments track content mastery and language development skills?
- Am I teaching students cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support their learning?
- How can technology support student learning?
How do I ensure my teaching is culturally relevant?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Do my instructional materials resonate with the diverse backgrounds of multilanguage learners, fostering greater
engagement and relatability? - Am I leveraging students’ background knowledge to increase motivation?
- Do assessments reflect and validate student’s cultural backgrounds, using familiar contexts and examples to enhance
engagement and motivation?
How do I meet every student where they are?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Do I employ scaffolding methods (graphic organizers, visual aids, etc.) to help students understand complex
concepts more effectively? - Am I utilizing evidence-based differentiation strategies strategies tailored to the needs of multilingual learners?
- Am I exposing learners to language slightly above their proficiency level to enhance understanding and vocabulary
acquisition? - Am I teaching students to break down complex tasks into manageable pieces?
- Am I providing assessment accommodations that help MLLs demonstrate knowledge without altering the assessment
content or expectations? - Can assessments be segmented into smaller, manageable parts to reduce overwhelm and allow focused responses?
- How do I provide targeted feedback to students about their progress?
How do I use grouping and discourse to promote student learning?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Do I provide opportunities for students to work in diverse groups, promoting language development through social
interaction? - Do I create daily opportunities for peer-to-peer discourse, allowing students to practice language skills in a
supportive environment? - How can students collaborate to enhance one another’s learning?
- How can students assess one another’s work to enhance critical thinking?
How do I create a classroom culture that is inclusive and accommodates diverse culturul backgrounds?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Does my classroom culture value diverse perspectives and encourage risk-taking?
- Do my instructional materials promote an inclusive learning environment that values all students’ experiences?
How do I engage families in my work with students?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Have I provided resources for families in multiple languages to foster a supportive home environment and
encourage family involvement? - Have I created opportunities to strengthen community ties with my students’ families?
How do I continue to grow as a teacher of MLLs?
High-Quality Instruction:
- How am I thinking about my own professional development relative to multilingual learners?
- How am I collaborating with colleagues to share effective strategies and resources and fostering continuous
improvement together? - How can I leverage student evaluation of learning strategies to improve instruction?
- Viewing as: Teacher or classroom educator
Community & cultural engagement
Families and communities are co-creators of MLL success. Guidance for building genuine, two-way partnerships at every level. Full content is being adapted to the guiding-question format.
Expand each guiding question to see the reflection prompts for your role — then open the full guidance document for detailed, research-backed recommendations.
How do I build an inclusive classroom and connect with families?
High-Quality Instruction:
- Am I using a culturally responsive Tier 1 curriculum that accommodates diverse backgrounds?
- Am I communicating effectively with multilingual families, including non-verbal cultural variations?
- Am I creating safe spaces for dialogue about cultural differences and identity?
- Am I organizing events that let students and families share their heritage meaningfully?
- Am I offering peer-teaching so newcomer students can share their language and culture?
- Viewing as: Teacher or classroom educator
School-systems core commitments
Eleven commitments networks and schools make to identify, support, and monitor MLLs — each with a Compliance → Investment → Exemplary continuum. Full content is being adapted to the guiding-question format.
Expand each guiding question to see the reflection prompts for your role — then open the full guidance document for detailed, research-backed recommendations.
How do I contribute to the system commitments in my classroom?
High-Quality Instruction:
Do I use language proficiency data to scaffold and differentiate?
Do I integrate language and content so MLLs access grade-level material?
Do I support students whose families have opted out, alongside my content teaching?
Do I monitor and document language growth through daily production and formative checks?
Do I recognize students’ home languages as strengths (e.g., translanguaging)?
- Viewing as: Teacher or classroom educator
Bridging MLL services K–12
Strategies for ensuring continuity of support for multilingual learners as they progress through the K–12 system.
This focus area is coming soon
The full guidance document will be added when available. In the meantime, explore the three published focus areas above.