When Second Language Students join international schools at the secondary level without well developed academic English ability, they face enormous challenges. Outside of their ESL classes, they are faced continually with English at a high academic level in all subject areas.
How can we help them to access the curriculum content, increase their level of understanding and at the same time show that we appreciate and value their mother tongues?
How can we give their parents insight into what their children are actually learning?
Translanguaging opens up new opportunities for students (and their parents) in the twenty-first century - but of course we will still need the ESL and mother tongue teachers!