RTI toolkit helps practitioners support multilingual learners with literacy in STEM

The resource provides tangible strategies to ensure all students can succeed in STEM learning environments

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, has published a toolkit that gives practitioners the resources to help multilingual learners (MLLs) develop literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in learning environments where the language spoken in the classroom is not their primary language.

The toolkit, Bridging Language and Learning: Empowering Multilingual Learners in STEM, was created for the U.S. Department of Defense as part of the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC). DSEC is a collaborative partnership among academia, industry, nonprofit organizations, and government that aims to develop a diverse and agile future workforce to power the nation’s innovative defense infrastructure.

“STEM literacy is essential for student success in today’s global society, where we are witnessing the increasing interconnectedness of disciplines and the growing demand for critical thinking and problem-solving,” said Nicole Mills, a research education analyst at RTI. “With STEM jobs projected to increase significantly in the next decade, developing the proper knowledge and vocabulary will prepare students to succeed in future STEM careers.”

The toolkit provides formal and informal STEM practitioners five essential practices to help students with their language development and STEM literacy skills:

1. Create a welcoming and warm culture and climate
2. Build background knowledge to create a foundation of knowledge and understanding
3. Actively and explicitly develop vocabulary familiarity and authenticity
4. Provide structured opportunities for speaking and listening practice daily
5. Provide multiple opportunities for students to express ideas, thoughts, and information in writing

The toolkit gives practitioners evidence-based strategies, instructional materials, and lesson plans they can implement in their classrooms to promote the development of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills within the context of STEM. 

Recommendations can be embedded within pre-existing instructional practices to enhance the linguistic and academic growth of MLLs and empower teachers to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that foster both STEM and literacy skills simultaneously.

In February, Mills and colleague Kristen McInerney published a brief in the Connected Science Learning that highlights the toolkit and its relevance for practitioners.

Read the full toolkit 

Learn more about RTI’s work in education and workforce development