Week 2: Language lives in the classroom

by Amanda Archbald

Classrooms are often full of routines, expectations, and good intentions. They are busy, purposeful spaces where learning is meant to feel dynamic and engaging.

For many multilingual learners, however, classrooms can also be overwhelming in ways that are easy to miss.

Multiple accents. Rapid instructions. Unspoken cultural expectations. Dense academic language. Limited time to process. All while trying to appear confident and capable.

This is a reminder of something we know, but do not always act on.

Language proficiency is not the same as cognitive ability.
Silence is not the same as understanding.

One of the most persistent misconceptions I encounter is the belief that language support happens outside the classroom, through withdrawal lessons, teaching assistants, or specialist interventions.

In reality, the most effective language support happens every day, in every lesson, with every teacher.

It lives in the quality of classroom talk, the clarity of instructions, and the modelling of academic language. It shows up in the decision to revisit vocabulary rather than rush it, and in the ability to simplify language without lowering expectations.

This is where responsibility sits.

Teachers are not expected to become linguists, but they are expected to be intentional communicators. For many multilingual learners, the primary barrier to learning is not the concept being taught, but the language used to access it. This extends beyond written texts to classroom talk itself. When speech is rapid, heavily accented, reliant on slang or culturally specific references, or delivered without gesture, pause, or visual support, meaning can be lost, even when understanding is assumed.

At the same time, adapting language does not mean stripping learning of richness.

Well-chosen analogies, teachable moments, and explicit cross-curricular links deepen understanding when they are unpacked and made visible. Drawing connections, narrating thinking, and anchoring new concepts in familiar ideas can transform language-heavy lessons into meaningful learning experiences.

Strong language provision does not begin with intervention groups. It begins with teachers who slow the language, not the learning, and who recognise that language development is part of high-quality teaching, not an additional burden.

It is worth pausing to ask:

• Who might still be translating internally?
• Who understands the concept, but not the language used to explain it?
• Who needs clarity rather than correction?

Language support is not an add-on. It is a lens that sharpens teaching, enriches learning, and improves outcomes for all learners.

When we strengthen language, we strengthen learning for every pupil.