Supporting English Learners (SEL) Project

One aspect of Me Mapping that I'm especially excited about is how it can help support teacher candidates in their learning about linguistic diversity in the classroom. There is a very important role for theories of multilingualism and language learning to play in teacher education. But having these Me Maps—how real kids and youth actually use language in their lives and at school–can make a real difference in what teacher candidates make of all that theory and what they take with them into the classroom as novice teachers.

Me Mapping helps educators see their multilingual learners from an asset-based perspective because it showcases and celebrates learners' rich language repertoires and cultures, their diverse interests and strengths, their lived experiences, and who they are as unique individuals with so much potential to succeed! 

I was thrilled to see students put on multiple linguistic hats in narrating their stories. Clearly, Me Mapping helps to erase the reservations  that learners have about their languages and empowers them to speak with authenticity.