The language of curricular materials is usually monolingual, but often the learners in the classroom are not. As such, the promotion of cross-linguistic understanding is especially important. For new learners of the dominant language (e.g., English in U.S. schools) or for learners of academic language (the dominant discourse in school), the accessibility of information is greatly reduced when no linguistic options are available. Offering multiple representations, especially for key information or vocabulary, is an important aspect of accessibility. In addition, while one particular language might be dominant, cultivating respect across languages and dialects requires recognizing that other languages and linguistic representations are valid and valued.

• Offer a diverse curriculum with a variety of literary works, historical perspectives, and cultural practices from various linguistic backgrounds.
• Promote the opportunity to share cultures and backgrounds.
• Celebrate linguistic diversity to showcase languages and cultures, fostering pride and respect among peers.
• Make all key information in the dominant language also available in home or heritage languages.
• Link key vocabulary words to definitions and pronunciations in both dominant and heritage languages.
• Define domain-specific vocabulary (e.g., “map key” in social studies) using both domain-specific and common terms.
• Incorporate electronic translation tools or links to multilingual glossaries on the web.
• Embed visual, non-linguistic supports for vocabulary clarification (e.g., pictures, videos, etc.).
• Support translanguaging, the ability to move fluidly between languages, as an approach that encourages learners to use their full linguistic capital.
• Recognize and incorporate non-oral languages, such as sign languages.