Ep. 57 - Unlocking the Power of Multilingualism: Myths, Research, and Support for Language Learners in Schools

As students return to the classroom, this is our second episode in a month-long series focused on school. In this episode, we speak with Assistant Professor Lilly Padilla about multi-language learners, and the school environment. Lilly outlines research on early language development including research linking multi-language learning to development of executive function skills and early math skills. She also speaks to the limitations often seen around supporting multilingual children, especially neurodiverse children, with communication systems only in English. Further, Lilly provides information on her research examining the communication practices of nonspeaking bilingual children ages 3 to 8. We conclude our episode with a discussion on getting supports for multilingual children in schools.  For additional information on Lilly and our discussion in this podcast please visit the links below: Links: https://www.lillypadia.com/ https://www.colorincolorado.org/families/special-education https://growingupbilingual.com/bilingual-articles-and-resources-for-families-and-educators/