Characterizing Multilingual Learners’ Diverse Language Use in College Chemistry

Abstract

As chemistry educators, we are committed to fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments that ensure effective learning for all students. In this paper, we aim to draw more attention toward Multilingual Learners (MLs), a frequently overlooked group in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in chemistry education. Considering the growing linguistic diversity in the United States, we highlight the critical need for refining perspectives and instructional approaches to better support MLs in undergraduate chemistry learning settings. We begin by summarizing the challenges faced by MLs in academic settings due to existing inequities in chemistry education. Then, we discuss the development of theoretical perspectives on multilingualism and emphasize the need to adopt an asset-oriented view in educational practices. We draw attention to the affordances of translanguaging, a pivotal concept in multilingual education, that may guide chemistry educators’ efforts to support MLs. Building on the literature, we suggest several instructional strategies that could advance MLs’ chemistry learning and participation in college chemistry learning.

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