Resources for Learning in a Bilingual Context

Identify and maximize use of available resources to support teaching and learning.

Implementing bilingual-multicultural program models in New Mexico requires the schools’ leadership to be under the guidance of the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB). The Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB) processes school/program-wide program goals and monitors the allocation of funds ensuring appropriate use of monies to meet the educational goals of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. The BMEB provides guidelines for implementation of five bilingual education program models: Dual language, maintenance, transitional, heritage language, and enrichment. It is each individual school’s leadership responsibility to be good stewards of available financial and human resources allocated to them by managing and aligning programming with funding sources. Also, it is the responsibility of leadership to be familiar with program goals that are in alignment with community/tribal needs and interests. Each bilingual education school/program-wide model must support the teaching and learning of CLD/ELs enrolled in the bilingual model by allocating monies for materials, services, and human capital.

Indicators of Resources for Learning in a Bilingual Context

The educator:

  1. communicates with leadership about the financial support for materials and services that are needed to meet the educational goals of CLD/ELs for academic success, such as:
    1. books in multiple languages for literacy and content learning,
    2. smart boards,
    3. after-school, weekend tutoring, and summer enrichment programs
    4. cultural enrichment,
    5. community support (whole child approach),
    6. family literacy center,
    7. collaborative outreach programs involving different stakeholders including community and governmental agencies (e.g., health providers, counseling services, clinics, youth centers, and housing liaisons),
    8. technology classes, and
    9. local resources and artifacts in the form of posters, prints, books, guides, people, songs, stories, and agricultural knowledge.
  2. assists leadership in identifying human capital and time to support the implementation of the bilingual educational program model goals, such as:
    1. recruiting highly qualified teachers with bilingual and/or TESOL endorsement and/or Native Language certificate and community, preferably local, community experiences and knowledge;
    2. recruiting, screening, and interviewing school-level EL/bilingual coordinators;
    3. bringing in professional development support from the district personnel through ongoing, embedded, based on research, based on data, teacher to teacher professional learning;
    4. implementing weekly teacher collaborations in departmental PLCs or common planning meetings, and once a month with leadership to discuss new research and practices that are needed based on a continuous review of student data;
    5. recruiting a principal as expert instructional leader with community knowledge;
    6. facilitating students, families and community as resources in classroom;
    7. recruiting and supporting indigenous heritage language teachers who see the benefits and challenges of teaching a heritage language;
    8. stimulating parent engagement and participation in school sponsored family nights or cultural nights to promote indigenous languages and cultures in the community;
    9. allowing parents to share their funds of knowledge in support of the curriculum and instruction;
    10. having teachers interview local businesses in the community in order to learn about the assets that the community, families, and students bring to school;
    11. providing opportunities for students to consult each other often for information, and
    12. Implementing culturally-relevant professional learning opportunities for ALL.