Recently, I had the privilege of attending the university graduation ceremony of one of my former students. I gladly accepted her invitation and watched her present her final research project to an intimate audience of friends, family, industry mentors, and university examiners. There wasn’t a dry eye in the lecture theatre as she signed her degree certificate and her professor announced, “You are officially an Engineer!”
We navigated assessment practices that often revealed more about her English proficiency than her grasp of the subject matter. While the school promoted inclusive values, academic performance remained a key measure of student success. As a result, the assessment data often shaped perceptions of her academic abilities, leading to situations where her place at the school needed to be clarified and supported. What the data didn’t show were the hours she spent each night translating material just to keep up with content she couldn’t fully access in class. Each low grade became another dent in her resilience, a reminder that this was a language barrier and not a reflection of intellect.
Every student’s journey is unique, and our commitment to seeing, supporting, and believing in them can change the trajectory of their lives.
Scenes like this are common milestones for many educators, a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Yet, this moment carried an additional degree of poignancy. Almost ten years ago to the day, this same student entered our high school with no English.
What she lacked in English, she made up for in determination and ambition, qualities that were sometimes overlooked or undervalued. As an English as an Additional Language (EAL) team, we supported her journey, both personal and academic, as she learned a new language and adjusted to the system and a very different way of learning.
We navigated assessment practices that often revealed more about her English proficiency than her grasp of the subject matter. While the school promoted inclusive values, academic performance remained a key measure of student success. As a result, the assessment data often shaped perceptions of her academic abilities, leading to situations where her place at the school needed to be clarified and supported. What the data didn’t show were the hours she spent each night translating material just to keep up with content she couldn’t fully access in class. Each low grade became another dent in her resilience, a reminder that this was a language barrier and not a reflection of intellect.
As I listened to her confidently share the findings of her Master’s research in English, my mind went back to her very first school presentation. She worked with her language buddy, using Google Translate and relying on visuals to communicate. The presentation was written in fluent Arabic and delivered in beginner English. I felt the same sense of pride on both occasions because of her courage and achievement. Now, a decade later, I needed a dictionary to keep up with the specialist terminology she used so fluently!
This student is not a one-off. She represents every learner labelled EAL who passes through our doors. In the brief time we share with them, we only glimpse their potential. Yet, our system, understandably but sadly, often focuses on the present moment, using monolingual measures interpreted through mindsets that can shape futures unfairly. As I admired her success, I dared to contemplate the alternatives, what if her potential had gone unseen and the advocacy unheard?
Our contribution is rarely immediate. The true fruits often emerge years later, as students move through educational systems and beyond our care. That’s why it’s vital to ensure holistic systems and processes are in place, ones that lift and support every student during their short time with us. Only then can they leave, equipped with the knowledge and confidence to pursue their true potential and thrive in the world ahead.
As we say goodbye to our students this academic year, let’s consider:
- What unseen strengths and stories might our students hold that standardised data cannot capture?
- How can we challenge deficit mindsets, within ourselves, our teams, and our systems, to see possibility instead of limits?
- What advocacy or support might make the difference for a multilingual student in your care right now?
- Are our current systems and processes truly equitable, or are they unintentionally holding some students back?
- How can we ensure our influence extends beyond the classroom, empowering students long after they’ve left our care?
Every student’s journey is unique, and our commitment to seeing, supporting, and believing in them can change the trajectory of their lives.