As we celebrate National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month this April, it’s the perfect time to explore effective strategies for supporting these students, and our Constitution EXPLAINED, or Todo sobre la constitución (in Spanish), video series offers a powerful example of how to do just that.
Videos are a great resource for teaching English and multilingual learners (ELs/MLs) because they provide:
- Multimodal Input: Videos don’t just present text; they combine audio and visual cues. This is crucial for ELs/MLs, who benefit from seeing concepts illustrated. For example, when explaining the “separation of powers,” visuals show the three branches of government in action. This helps ELs/MLs connect complex legal terms with concrete images, enhancing comprehension and retention. This is especially helpful with the complex vocabulary of social studies. Visuals can help explain the meaning of words like “legislative,” “ratification,” and “compromise.”
- Authentic Language and Context: These videos use a conversational approach and were designed with students in mind. ELs/MLs see and hear about constitutional concepts in everyday language in a way that builds upon their background knowledge, exposing them to new concepts along with familiar language, thus providing valuable and relatable context.
- Engaging and Motivating Learning: The short, digestible format of the Constitution EXPLAINED videos keeps MLs engaged. The clear, concise explanations, coupled with visuals, make learning about the Constitution less intimidating and more enjoyable. The call to action questions at the end of each video encourage the students to want to learn more.
- Listening Comprehension and Language Support:
- Videos provide valuable listening practice, helping MLs develop their ability to understand spoken English within an academic context.
- Crucially, the availability of both English and Spanish versions, along with bilingual Teacher Guides, provides essential support. Spanish-speaking MLs can listen in their native language and then reinforce their understanding in English.
- Subtitles/closed captioning or transcripts can be used to support comprehension, allowing learners to connect spoken and written language.
- Flexibility and Accessibility: The short video format (2-3 minutes in length) allows for flexible learning. Teachers can assign videos as needed, and MLs can review them at their own pace. This is particularly beneficial for students who need extra time to process information. They can watch the videos multiple times.
- Extending Learning with Teacher Guides: Our bilingual (English/Spanish) guides are designed for maximum versatility, supporting diverse classroom needs and maximizing and extending learning. The English component benefits all multilingual learners, regardless of their native language, while the Spanish component specifically caters to dual-language programs and Spanish-speaking MLs, ensuring targeted support. The guides include:
- Content-specific vocabulary: Taken directly from the video scripts, these terms are presented in context, aiding comprehension.
- Guiding questions: These questions activate prior knowledge and encourage critical thinking, both before and after viewing.
- Video Viewing Strategies and Instruction Strategies: These provide teachers with tools to support MLs, such as: “Turn and Talk” activities for collaborative learning; Identifying cognates in Spanish and English to build connections; Sentence frames to guide writing and discussion, and more.
In conclusion, the Constitution EXPLAINED video series harnesses the power of video to make learning about the Constitution accessible and engaging for all students, particularly English and multilingual learners. The combination of multimodal input, language support, and flexible resources creates a rich learning experience that promotes both language acquisition and civic understanding.
Written by Kristen Chapron
Kristen Chapron is Senior Editor of Digital Learning and ELL at iCivics. She worked on the Todo sobre la constitución series and looks forward to creating even more materials for English and multilingual learners.