5/6/2025

S4E5 Leveraging Bilingualism To Support the Whole Child With Dr. Elena Schmitt

“When we maintain our first language, we maintain not only the morphological and grammatical aspects of that language, but we continue to access the key aspects of cultural and social interaction that are a big part of our first language identity.”

—Dr. Elena Schmitt, professor of applied linguistics

All for Literacy, Season 4, Episode 5

55 minutes

Does maintaining their heritage language help students develop literacy skills in English? The research says “yes.”

Dr. Elena Schmitt, professor of applied linguistics and educational researcher, joins All For Literacy host Dr. Liz Brooke for a detailed discussion about how supporting a student’s bilingualism supports the whole child. From maintaining access to key cultural and social interactions to supporting English literacy acquisition, helping students maintain their first language is worth the effort.

Gain an understanding of:

How to apply the research when it comes to supporting English language learning
Actionable ways educators can support bilingual students in their classrooms
Why the advice to “speak English at home” can be detrimental to students
How to create an inclusive environment centered around translanguaging

Tune in to Episode 5 for an inspirational, research-backed discussion about how heritage languages, bilingualism, and translanguaging affect student identity and success.

Episode Breakdown

(00:50) - Schmitt’s journey from bilingual student to educational researcher

(03:42) - How maintaining a heritage language supports English acquisition

(12:55) - Why educators should support students in maintaining heritage languages

(20:20) - Creating an inclusive environment that helps students maintain heritage languages

(23:25) - Applying the science of reading to multilingual learners

(39:49) - Using AI to support language acquisition and retention

(48:34) - Fostering collaboration to improve literacy education

(52:15) - Hope for the future of multilingual education

About the Guest

Dr. Elena Schmitt is a professor of applied linguistics and coordinator of the master’s in bilingual education and TESOL program at Southern Connecticut State University. Her research focuses on language contact, first language attrition, classroom interaction, teacher education, and technology-assisted teaching.