Breaking Down Language Barriers: Tools That Make Multilingual and All Students Shine!

Monday, June 29, 2026 ⬥ 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM
Presented by Melissa Henning

Session Description:

This energizing session is your treasure map to game-changing tools that celebrate linguistic diversity while accelerating learning for all! Tools will feature games, differentiation, translation, and more. Get ready to transform “language barrier” into “language bridge” – porque when we embrace multilingual magic, ¡todos ganamos! (everyone wins!).

Objectives:
    • Learn about 3-5 web resources that support multilingual learners in understanding and/or accessing grade-level content.
    • Understand how to select appropriate tools based on students’ language proficiency levels and learning needs.
    • Discover strategies for incorporating home languages as resources in instruction rather than barriers to overcome.

Download a PDF copy of the slides here.

Resource Materials:

In this Resource Materials section, you will find reference materials, tutorials, and how-to information that will help you review or extend your knowledge from the presentation.

Translation Wizards

Translation & Communication Tools – Tools that go beyond basic translation to support real-time communication between students, families, and teachers across language barriers.

Deep L – DeepL can help teachers support multilingual learners by translating classroom materials, instructions, and announcements into their home language — delivering context-aware, natural-sounding translations that go beyond word-for-word conversion to help multilingual learners truly access and understand content, not just decode it.

Immersive Reader –Microsoft Immersive Reader breaks down language barriers for multilingual learners by offering built-in tools that read text aloud, translate content into a student’s home language, highlight syllables and parts of speech, adjust text spacing and font, and display picture dictionaries — turning any digital document or assignment into a fully accessible, language-supported learning experience.

TalkingPoints – TalkingPoints is an AI-powered platform that enables seamless, multilingual communication across more than 150 languages — allowing teachers to send messages in English that multilingual families receive instantly in their home language, and for families to respond in their own language with automatic translation back to the teacher, ensuring that language is never a barrier between a school and the families it serves.

Magic School – (also useful in the next section for differentiation) – MagicSchool AI supports multilingual learners by giving teachers a suite of tools that can instantly translate classroom materials, generate bilingual resources, simplify complex texts to accessible reading levels, create scaffolded vocabulary supports, and adapt lesson content to meet the language needs of English language learners.

Translation & Communication Strategies:

  • Use translation tools for important documents like IEPs, report cards, and school policies. AI may not always be perfect, but there are some good tools out there. 
  • Create a library of commonly used documents already translated into your school’s primary languages
  • Consider technology tools like Google Translate, Microsoft Immersive Reader, or even Magic School, but always verify accuracy for critical information.
  • Send communications home in families’ native languages whenever possible, and provide advance notice for meetings so families can arrange interpreters if needed. 
  • Provide translated versions of key resources on your school website and ensure enrollment materials are accessible in multiple languages

The Power of Differentiation

Tools for Differentiation — For multilingual learners, differentiation is the bridge between where a student is linguistically and where they need to be academically — tools can adapt content to different language levels, simplify complex texts, provide native-language supports, and scaffold vocabulary in context.

Diffit – Diffit can instantly take any text, topic, or URL and generate a reading-level-appropriate version complete with vocabulary support, comprehension questions, and key concept summaries.

Newsela – Newsela Lite offers a free option for teachers supporting multilingual learners, providing access to a library of high-interest, real-world texts at five reading levels with built-in scaffolds like read-aloud mode, in-paragraph translations, and comprehension supports — giving educators a no-cost way to ensure multilingual learners can engage with the same content as their peers at a language level that builds both confidence and comprehension.

Power Projects for Student Brilliance

Student Expression & Showcase Platforms Multimodal tools that let students demonstrate their knowledge through drawing, audio, video, or bilingual writing — moving beyond English-only assessments.

Book Creator – A creative, multimodal platform where multilingual learners can express their ideas and demonstrate understanding through a combination of text, images, audio recordings, and video in any language — allowing students to tell their stories and show what they know in their home language while building confidence in English, all within a digital space that values every learner’s voice equally.

Padlet –  For visual storytelling, Padlet supports multilingual learners by providing a low-pressure collaborative space where students can share ideas, respond to prompts, and participate in class discussions using text, images, audio, video, or drawings in any language — removing the anxiety of speaking aloud in a new language while giving every multilingual learner an equal voice and a meaningful way to engage with and contribute to classroom learning.

Adobe Podcast – Adobe Podcast gives multilingual learners a powerful and accessible way to develop their English language skills by allowing them to record, edit, and produce their own audio content with AI-powered tools that automatically enhance audio quality and remove background noise — creating a low-stakes, creative space where students can practice speaking, build pronunciation confidence, and share their voices and stories in both their home language and English without the pressure of a live classroom audience.

Visual Learning and Vocabulary Building Tools

Visual learning and vocabulary building tools are especially powerful for multilingual learners because they bridge the gap between a student’s home language and English by pairing new words with images, gestures, audio, and context-rich examples — giving students multiple pathways to connect meaning, build academic vocabulary, and retain new language in ways that go far beyond memorizing a word list, ultimately accelerating both language acquisition and content comprehension across every subject area.

Canva for Education – A powerful visual design platform where teachers can create colorful anchor charts, bilingual word walls, infographics, and visual lesson supports. Students can also create multilingual visual projects to showcase their learning.

Genially (Free Tier) – Embed invisible, interactive text-to-speech and audio descriptions directly behind clickable images and hotspots. This means students can explore complex, visual infographics and digital escape rooms at their own pace, clicking icons to hear vocabulary pronounced or concepts explained in smaller chunks.

WordWall – Create interactive, game-based vocabulary and language activities — from matching games and word searches to quizzes and flashcards — that make building English language skills engaging and repeatable for multilingual learners, allowing students to practice key vocabulary, sentence structures, and content concepts in a fun, low-pressure environment that feels more like playing than studying.

Visual Learning and Vocabulary Building Strategies

Visual Supports for Instruction:

  • Use graphic organizers, anchor charts, and visual schedules to make abstract concepts concrete and reduce language barriers
  • Incorporate labeled diagrams, infographics, and flowcharts that pair vocabulary with images
  • Display word walls with pictures, cognates (words similar across languages), and translations to build vocabulary

Multimedia and Technology Tools:

  • Integrate videos with subtitles or captions in multiple languages to support comprehension
  • Leverage text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools to support reading and writing
  • Create digital vocabulary journals with images, audio pronunciations, and student-generated examples

Content Creation Opportunities:

  • Encourage students to create bilingual books, posters, or presentations that showcase their home language as an asset
  • Incorporate collaborative projects where multilingual learners can contribute through visuals, research, or peer support roles
  • Provide choice boards that offer various ways to show understanding—comic strips, models, art, video demonstrations, skits, digital slideshows, or annotated drawings

Additional Resources from TeachersFirst

In-the-Classroom:

Our In-the-Classroom section is where you will find ideas and examples on how to integrate the tools shared into classroom instruction.

10 Basic Tips and Strategies

  1. Honor the Home Language – Never discourage students from using their home language. Allow students to think, draft, and discuss in their native language first, then bridge to English. The home language is an asset, not a barrier.
  2. Use Visuals & Graphic Organizers – Pair all instruction with images, diagrams, anchor charts, and graphic organizers. Visual supports make abstract concepts accessible and reduce language-dependent barriers to understanding.
  3. Provide Sentence Frames & Starters – Give multilingual learners structured language support by posting and distributing sentence frames such as “I think… because…” or “This connects to…” so they can participate confidently in discussions.
  4. Give More Wait Time – Multilingual learners need additional processing time. They are often translating, formulating thoughts, and then responding — all at once. Allow at least 10–15 seconds before expecting a response.
  5. Use Strategic Partnering & Grouping – Intentionally pair multilingual learners with supportive, patient peers. When possible, pair students who share a home language so they can clarify concepts with each other before sharing with the class.
  6. Pre-Teach Key Vocabulary – Introduce essential content vocabulary before a lesson begins using visuals, realia (real objects), and student-friendly definitions. Focus on high-utility academic words that appear across subjects.
  7. Make Input Comprehensible – Speak clearly, use gestures, slow down slightly, and avoid idioms or slang that may confuse multilingual learners. Check for understanding frequently by asking students to demonstrate or show, not just tell.
  8. Offer Multiple Ways to Show Learning – Allow students to demonstrate mastery through drawing, voice recordings, video, bilingual writing, or visual projects — not just traditional English-only written assessments. Focus on what students know, not just how they express it.
  9. Build Cultural Connections – Learn about your students’ cultural backgrounds and weave culturally relevant examples, texts, and references into your instruction. When students see themselves in the curriculum, engagement and confidence soar.
  10. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Proficiency – Recognize and celebrate every step of language growth, no matter how small. A student who speaks one word today and five words tomorrow is making remarkable progress. Positive affirmation builds confidence and motivation.

 

Return to the ISTE 2026 Session Listings Page

 

https://teachersfirst.org/