Enhancing Multilingual Learner (ML) Program Decisions in English Medium International Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to identify what factors English medium international schools currently use to make multilingual learners (MLs) program decisions and to explore the benefits of utilizing students' multilingual assets in the decision-making process. There is limited information about factors English medium international schools use to determine EAL program models. The researcher collected EAL policies from participating schools and surveyed and interviewed 18 teachers and seven administrators from seven schools in six East Asian countries. The chapter provides suggestions for international schools with EAL programs to make changes to utilize MLs' assets in EAL programming and instructional practices. These include reviewing and revising existing EAL policies and placement decisions to include MLs' multilingual assets, providing staff professional development on what multilingual assets are and the importance and rationale of utilizing them, and putting protocols in place to enable effective communication about MLs' multilingual assets between all relevant stakeholders.