5 Great Things About Teaching Multilingual Learners

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5 Great Things About Teaching Multilingual Learners

Author: Kate Moening

Explore the Profession

Across New York City, students bring rich languages, cultures, and experiences into classrooms every day. Teachers who support multilingual learners help students build confidence, develop strong communication skills, and thrive in a new language and school system. For those considering a career in teaching in NYC Public Schools, this level of support to multilingual learners offers a powerful opportunity to grow as an educator and make a lasting impact.

Here are our top 5 reasons to consider teaching multilingual students.

1. You get to help students grow as thinkers and communicators.

A group of students work together at a table with a project and assignments scatted on the table top.

Multilingual learners already think and communicate in more than one language, and teachers help them build on those skills. In NYC classrooms, students bring an extraordinary range of languages and experiences. In fact, students across NYC Public Schools speak over 180 languages, giving teachers many opportunities to build on existing strengths and help students grow as confident communicators. (1)

Teaching multilingual learners means supporting students as they develop their English speaking skills while also valuing and strengthening their home language. Research shows that developing a student’s home language supports a stronger long-term literacy in English. (2) For teachers, this work is deeply rewarding because you get to see students gain confidence, curiosity, and pride as communicators.

2. You’ll make a real difference for students who need support right now.

A teacher sits next to a young student, both smiling at each other and connecting with eye contact

Multilingual learners are one of the fastest growing student populations in New York City, and many are navigating a new school system, new expectations, and a new language all at once. NYC serves one of the largest populations of multilingual learners in the country, with more than 150,000 English learners enrolled in NYC Public Schools. (3)

Having a teacher who believes in them and understands their needs can be life-changing for students. As NYC Public Schools continue to expand high-quality dual language programs, you can be part of a growing team of educators who support multilingual learners and help them thrive academically and socially.

3. You’ll build strong connections with students and families.

A circle of people, made up of parents and school age children, sit together while laughing and sharing stories, with the teacher present in the circle sitting among everyone.

Working with multilingual learners involves building close, meaningful relationships with students and their families. Many families want to be involved in their child’s education, but may feel unsure about navigating a new school system or communicating in a new language. Teachers who communicate clearly and warmly become trusted guides and partners.

In NYC, schools are supported with translation and interpretation services that help teachers communicate with families, making it easier to build strong partnerships. (4) These relationships help students feel supported, show up more consistently, and engage more fully in learning.

4. You’ll create a classroom where students feel safe, included, and proud of who they are.

Four students sit at a table in a classroom as a teacher comes by and leans over the table to connect and assess the student's work

When students see their language, culture, and lived experiences reflected in the classroom, they are more likely to feel connected and confident. Research shows that students who feel more connected at school are more likely to attend regularly and make academic progress. A strong sense of belonging helps students feel safe enough to participate, take risks and learn. This matters deeply in NYC classrooms, where students bring rich identities and perspectives shaped by many cultures, languages and communities.

Teaching multilingual learners encourages using visuals, encouraging discussion and creating opportunities for collaboration. These approaches help ALL students feel seen and valued, while also strengthening academic learning for everyone in the room.

5. NYC is investing in multilingual learners and the teachers who support them.

The statue of Liberty is center in the photo, with a graphic of colored lines flowing behind in an upward angle

New York City is putting real support behind multilingual programming. (5) NYC Public Schools have programs designed to help people enter the teaching profession, prepare for the career and afford the path to becoming a teacher.

In NYC Public Schools, those state investments show up in clear and practical ways:

Each year, the NYC Teaching Fellows cohort includes opportunities in bilingual education, bilingual special education, English as a New Language, and Spanish as a world language.
Paid pathways into teaching, like the Bilingual Pupil Services program, allow bilingual paraprofessionals to work in schools, earn a salary and benefits, and receive help paying for college coursework while preparing to become certified teachers.
Current NYC Public Schools teachers can earn their bilingual extension through the Extended Certification Program, a tuition-free partnership between NYC Public Schools, CUNY and the New York State Education Department.

If you’re just starting to think about teaching, this means you do not have to have everything figured out yet. There are built- in supports to guide you along the way.  Together, these supports make teaching multilingual learners an exciting and supported path, even if you’re just beginning to explore what a future in teaching could look like for you.

Visit TeachNYC.net to learn more about NYC Public Schools opportunities and how to apply to teach in the largest school district in the United States.

References

1. NYC Public Schools. Language Access Policy. https://www.schools.nyc.gov/about-us/policies/language-access-policy
2. Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English Language Learners: What the Research Does and Does Not Say. American Educator, American Federation of Teachers.  https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/goldenberg.pdf
3. New York State Education Department English Language Learner Enrollment Data, NYC Public Schools.   https://data.nysed.gov/ell.php?instid=7889678368&utm
4. NYC Public Schools Info Hub. About Office of Language Access. https://infohub.nyced.org/in-our-schools/languageaccess/translation-and-interpretation
5. NYC Public Schools. Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education in NYC Public Schools: Multilingual NYC Advisory Council Summary Report (2025). https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/multilingual-learners/multilingual-nyc