Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld is a professor and author of over 30 books on multilingual education, including the Growing Language and Literacy series. Born and raised in Hungary, she grew up multilingually and has been an educator for over 25 years. Andrea is passionate about collaborative teaching models, asset-based approaches to multilingual education, and creating equitable learning environments where all students' linguistic and cultural resources are honored and utilized.

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld reminds us that literacy development for multilingual learners requires more than foundational skills, incorporating meaning-making, cultural connections, and recognition of students' full linguistic repertoires. She unpacks the difference between language acquisition and language learning, emphasizing that both natural and explicit instruction are necessary. Dr. Honigsfeld shares practical strategies for integrating content, language, and literacy through collaborative planning and the three dimensions of academic language: vocabulary, sentence, and discourse. She challenges us to shift from deficit perspectives to asset-based approaches and offers powerful models for teacher collaboration, including intervisitations and strategic use of translanguaging versus translation.

Key Takeaways:

• Make meaning central to literacy instruction. Comprehension, context, and multiple ways of making meaning must be built alongside foundational skills.
• Teach academic language beyond vocabulary. Supporting multilingual learners means developing language at the word, sentence, and discourse levels.
• Start with strengths, not deficits. An assets-based, can-do mindset raises expectations and helps teachers build from what multilingual learners already know and can do.
• Collaborate intentionally, even when co-teaching isn't an option. Shared planning, assessment, and reflection strengthen instruction when educators align their work around students.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Welcome to Literacy Across Languages!

(01:52) Meet Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld

(07:16) Literacy Research and Multilingual Learners

(11:44) Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning

(16:35) Integrating Content, Language, and Literacy

(20:13) The Collaborative Instructional Cycle

(25:51) Mindset Shifts for Educators

(28:07) Professional Learning for Teachers

(33:01) Translating vs. Translanguaging

(41:07) Takeaways

Episode Resources:

1. ⁠Growing Language and Literacy, Grades K-8⁠
2. ⁠Growing Language and Literacy, Grades 6-12⁠

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Keywords: meaning-making, language acquisition, language learning, language development, three dimensions of academic language, vocabulary instruction, sentence frames, discourse analysis, collaborative planning, co-teaching, asset-based approach, translanguaging, translation, multimodality, multiliteracies, intervisitations, professional learning