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I can speak three languages, and I grew up in a place where English was the primary language of instruction in schools. So, when I arrived here as a teacher, it wasn't too difficult for me to understand and communicate. The thing that slightly struggled me was the accent here and how people speak. At first, the variations in pronunciation and local slang made it a bit challenging to fully grasp what was being said, especially in fast-paced conversations. Over time, though, I've gotten more familiar with it, and now I feel more confident navigating different accents and dialects. However, there are still moments when I need to ask for clarification, but it’s part of the learning process.

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It in interesting to teach in group of students that speak different languages. I taught in a diverse class in other countries and we were using our different languages to learn not only the languages but their cultures.

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As a multilingual educator, I have the unique opportunity to understand the challenges students face when communicating in English. This experience fosters in me patience, perseverance, and empathy, especially towards students who struggle with the language and face communication barriers as a result.

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When I was four, my mom started reading to me the English alphabets, phonics etc. We grew op speaking in English and when I was in high school I fell. in love reading Sweet Valley High Series, Nancy Drew books and Anne Franks diary at the age of 13. I was a bookworm back in high school. We also grew up watching American sitcoms like Full House, Saved by the Bell and Small Wonders. That greatly made an impact in my command of the English language. I also learned basic Japanese words as I have also experienced teaching English as a Second language to Japanese students. As Dr. Seuss said, the more that you read the more places you will go.

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In the Philippines, only Filipino and History subjects are taught in Tagalog (dialect). The rest of the disciplines are taught in English like Math and Science. That's how we were trained to speak in English. Coming here in the US as a teacher, one thing that is being noticed the most is our "accent". I have students here who would say, "It's okay, it is because of her accent". Sometimes, it is embarrassing but I've learned how to deal with it and not take it offensively. :)

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I am from India, and it is divided into states based on its languages. I am a literate in four Indian languages plus English as a foreign language. Mostly the medium of instruction in India is English, so I learned English while I was in school. In my school it was mandate to talk in English. So, I learned it by force. But I think learning different languages opens up different learning styles, also invokes the interest in the students.

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I grew up in an English-speaking household. I took a little Spanish in college, but I do not feel that it was enough. I feel that it is interesting to teach students from all over and learn how to close the gap. I feel that it is important to respect all Cultures, and as a teacher, I have to break through barriers to support all learners.

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I grew up speaking English and Gullah. Gullah language is from a community of people descended from West and Central Africans who were enslaved in the coastal United States. The Gullah language is used among the Geechee Community in North Carolina. I don't speak it anymore do to being told to speak English because we are Americans. I believe that you should encourage others to continue speak their language.

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I remember when I was still in high school, my English teachers kept telling us how important it is to learn the English language as it is the "universal language." This language experience helped me understand my students who are having a hard time learning the English language and it encouraged me to do my best to let them learn it.

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I lived in a primarily Spanish-speaking household and only learned English through media and speaking to my older brothers. I had an easier time acquiring both languages and learning to read and write through my observations of the world around me. As I grew older, I saw the importance of language when interacting in a global society. That motivated me to learn more languages to dive deeper into other cultures. This love of language encouraged me to study Japanese and Korean in college. As I have met new people who speak other languages, I attempt to learn from them because language makes up a large part of a person's identity, and to better understand who a person is, I want to better understand their language. This shaped my philosophy when interacting with my students who speak another language because I see the effort that they put in when learning English and work towards understanding their relationship with language.

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As a Filipino teacher, my language experiences have shaped my identity and teaching philosophy by highlighting the value of bilingualism and cultural connection. Growing up with both Filipino and English, I learned the importance of language as a bridge to understanding people and culture. This has led me to create an inclusive classroom where students confidently express themselves, think critically, and connect with others. I encourage them to appreciate language as a tool for self-expression and communication, guiding them to develop their voices in both their native and second languages.

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I have never learned another language, other than English. However, I am deeply driven by the cultures and languages that this world has. Coming from a family that has multiple cultures and many voices, I value the impact communication can have between people.

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I am 75% Mexican 25% Native American, my family grew up about 2 miles from the US and Mexico border. My dad wanted to be "American" and believed Spanish would not make its ways up to Illinois and told my mother we would not learn Spanish. When I up all we spoke in my house was English. tried to learn in middle school and high school I failed due to as my relatives said "I was learning the Queens Spanish."

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I want to become more fluent in Spanish as I grew up only speaking English and then learned Spanish in high school. Teaching English grammar is hard as I was never taught proper grammar rules and have instead picked up the rules through exposure. I know that learning the rules of another language is hard as I have difficulty with English, which I am fluent in, and trying to pick up the rules of Spanish when I was in school.

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I am a Filipino who began my education at an early age, where English was used as the primary medium of instruction in the Philippines. As a Filipino teacher, I am confident in my ability to speak English well. However, I sometimes feel frustrated when my students seem to struggle with understanding me. Over time, I came to realize that the issue might lie in the way we perceive language differently. While I tend to focus on grammatical accuracy, my students often interpret my words more conversationally, which can lead to miscommunication. This difference in perspective has helped me better understand the challenges they face in grasping what I say.

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I am a Filipino and my accent stood out, and my students hesitated. I told them, “Language is about connection, not perfection.” Over time, they embraced my voice, learning that every accent has a story worth hearing.

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Hi,

Currently, I have 4 ELL students in my class. All speak Spanish, which makes our relationship and teaching helpful. When I work with these students, I think about the moments in school when I struggle a lot growing up. I don't want them to struggle the same way, I did.

Even when teaching them, I feel like I struggle speaking both languages. I didn't practice my Home-Language enough and didn't pass it on to my own children. I regret not teaching my own children Spanish, so when I see these students learning... I'm happy for them!

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I grew up in a monolingual English Home. After college I got the desire to learn Spanish and even though I had my undergrad I went back to community college and took Spanish classes. After taking Spanish classed I wanted to immerse myself in the language and culture. So I took a 3 month solo backpacking trip through South America to put what I learned to practice.

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As an educator, my personal language experiences shaped my identity and teaching philosophy to develop more empathy, improve my instructional strategies and make more of inclusive classrooms. My home language "Tagalog" is kinda similar to Spanish words, so sometimes I am trying to build connections with my students. These helps me a lot to have a more positive relationships with my EL Learners. I strongly believe that there is values in language.

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I am a monolingual English speaker. I took a year of Spanish in college but none of that really stuck. I don't know if I believe in that idea that music is a universal language, but I am fluent in reading and writing Western Music. I like teaching music because it is something new for almost all my students.

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Our language is the reflection of ourselves

by Caesar Chavez

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It's really important to understand the frustration of someone coming from a different linguistic background. They are extremely intelligent in many cases, but often are lost in the classroom. Empathy, patience, and persistence are essential for us as classroom educators. I grew up in a really small town in upstate NY and wasn't part of this amazing culture until I moved here five years ago. I love connecting with my students through food, so talking about food trucks around town and local restaurants really builds rapport that allows me to approach academics with them.

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It is interesting to learn various cultures have varying languages within their region and culture. Growing up I used my language but when entering the school system the language was lost. Students with multi languages are encouraged to speak both their native language as well as the universal language.

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I am a native English speaker. Something I have thought about in language development is that your environment can really shape your language. The way someone speaks to you, the amount of words they speak to you and the opportunities they provide for you to speak. Environment can shape how you think about yourself, and how your behavior is, which could affect your confidence in learning.

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I am an english monolingual. Even being monolingual, English is HARD. It is hard for me to understand, so teaching as a second language is even more difficult.

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I grew up in a monolingual English home with an emphasis on Italian culture. However around first grade we had a Mexican immigrant and his wife move into my home and family. After that I took 3 years in grade school, 4 years in high school, and 2 semesters in college. As an English teacher I am fascinated by language and the Spanish language specifically.

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I would like to learn another language and be biliterate. I think that the ability to speak to another person and understand that their cultural background is so important. I really love to use food as a discussion about other cultures.

Abigail