--- title: "10 Ways to Guide Newcomers to Success" url: "https:\/\/britannicaeducation.com\/blog\/10-i\/" published: "2025-03-21T20:30:00+00:00" modified: "2026-04-30T21:30:48+00:00" author: "Britannica Education" description: "Discover effective ways to help newcomers feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive academically and socially." --- # 10 Ways to Guide Newcomers to Success Discover effective ways to help newcomers feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive academically and socially. ![Thistle background graphic](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/themes/britannica-education/assets/img/backgrounds/thistle.svg) - [ Home ](https://britannicaeducation.com/) - [ Blog ](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/) - 10 Ways… 10 Ways to Guide Newcomers to Success ![two elementary aged kids wearing backpacks and walking into school](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-is.jpg) [Multilingual Learners](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/multilingual-learners/) # 10 Ways to Guide Newcomers to Success ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BE_Thistle-Variation-1.svg) March 21, 2025 ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BE_Thistle-Variation-3.svg) Download this 10 “I’s” e-book ### **Discover effective ways to guide newcomer students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive academically and socially.** Nationwide, school districts are experiencing a tremendous shift in the number of students learning English. The English learner population has reached a new record high in the past two years, with approximately [5.3 million students](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgf/english-learners-in-public-schools) in US public schools. Educational programs today are challenged to pave a road that truly addresses the needs of this growing population. The following guide is designed to help you tackle some challenges no matter your stage in the process. I would like to invite school leaders, educators, and staff to explore these 10 critical considerations filled with lots of ideas to support your newcomer program.  ## **Explore the 10 I’s ** ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-introduct-150x150.png) ### **Introduce** **Introduce** new protocols to be implemented at any time of the school year that not only welcome but also ignite a sense of belonging to all students. It is important to support newcomer students by providing them opportunities to share their journeys, hopes, and concerns about their new school experience.   ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Integrate-150x150.png) ### **Integrate** **Integrate** new cultural events and activities to encourage newcomer students to share their heritage and culture. Allow newcomers to feel like an integral part of the school community where they are invited to celebrate their traditions. Prepare activities that facilitate a friendly** **integration into the school community**,** such as “Family and Me” school tours or peer-to-peer chats where students collaborate and create activities that help to reflect on their personal experiences. In addition, finding nonprofit organizations familiar with the newcomer’s culture can create opportunities to network and interact with well-established community services.  ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Identify-150x150.png) ### **Identify** **Identify **and** **recognize student growth; it is easier to build on a student’s strengths than to focus on what they have yet to learn. Think about the many valuable skills and knowledge that newcomer students exhibit. Consider resources, such as the [Funds of Knowledge Toolkit](https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2023-10/funds_of_knowledge_toolkit.pdf), to inform your instruction and support academic success. Identifying the unique challenges and strengths that all newcomer students bring can become data sets that help establish measurable goals for growth. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Include-150x150.png) ### **Include** **Include** a welcoming environment beyond the classroom that extends to all areas of school life.  Newcomer students’ participation in school activities and organizations is a reflection of an inclusive environment where students’ cultures, languages, and experiences are acknowledged and celebrated by the entire school community.  ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Intent-150x150.png) ### **Intent** It’s important to establish school norms and goals with the **intent **of fostering strong relationships rooted in respect and character values. Such new or [proposed regulations](http://www.languagepolicy.net/) can guide students, their families, and the school community to form successful and caring newcomer programs. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-MLL-eBook-10-is.jpg) #### **Ready to learn more?** Download our 10 “I’s” e-book and get practical strategies from experts to make a difference today! [GET YOUR E-BOOK](#form) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Innovate-150x150.png) ### **Innovate** **Innovation** is the best way to make learning more engaging and accessible for newcomer students. New technological tools are just as important as revamping instructional practices using revolutionary ideas. It’s essential to promote innovative classroom technology and teaching methodologies that encourage collaborative learning, where students from different backgrounds can work together to promote language and social skills in assignments and projects.  ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Increase-MLL-150x150.png) ### **Increase** **Increasing **English proficiency should be at the center of all newcomer programs. Most theories about language learning approve the use of a monitoring system that defines different levels of proficiency and/or includes specific “Can Do” statements that help move students from one level to the next. When we establish a foundational understanding of language learning vs. language acquisition, it becomes a school-wide effort that promotes professional learning, coaching, and language-rich practices among school leaders, faculty, and staff.  ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Individualize-1-150x150.png) ### **Individualize** An** individualized** plan is mainly a tool to help find the optimal differentiation path to instruct newcomer students. This flexible plan can be adjusted regularly through teacher, counselor, and family input based on students’ progress and needs. Scheduling regular check-ins with teachers, counselors, and families brings plenty of opportunities to adjust individualized** **plans as needed. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Inform-1-150x150.png) ### **Inform** **Inform** everyone involved in the school community! Transparency and open communication channels are essential to adapting and improving the support systems that are in place. Think about the importance of consistently and continually informing teachers, staff, parents, and stakeholders about progress or even roadblocks. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-10-i-Instruct-1-150x150.png) ### **Instruct** **Instructing **newcomer students involves effective practices that help teachers to better distinguish the fine line between language proficiency challenges and real learning disabilities. When teachers are equipped to identify language acquisition struggles vs. special education needs, they can help reduce the over- and underrepresentation of multilingual learners in special education programs. Language development can be supported by incorporating lots of comprehensible input/output in daily instruction. This type of instruction exposes students to understandable language while encouraging them to speak and communicate with clarity.  ## **Britannica Professional Learning for Language Support** Britannica Education has products and services specifically for multilingualism and language support, designed to meet schools and districts where they are.  [Britannica Professional Learning](https://britannicaeducation.com/professional-learning/) provides access to interactive sessions and coaching to support school leaders and teachers serving the needs of multilingual learners. Our professional learning experts can support teachers and leaders to do the following and more: Investigate and understand how language acquisition happens for diverse language learners through a methodology and analysis of the typical student population in the 21st-century classroom. Explore the key components that support accessing and internalizing content area objectives while incorporating critical language learning goals. Delve into the three stages of program design that support effective outcomes when working with diverse learners. ## **Britannica Solutions for Multilingual Learners ** Teachers and students need instructional resources that support academic achievement. Multilingual learners benefit from resources that address various stages of language development and target learning in a variety of proficiency levels. Britannica Education has a suite of reliable products for pre-K-12 multilingual learners. ### Hello Britannica Supplement students’ English learning practice in a self-paced, gamified way. This engaging platform encourages students with corrective feedback, which helps them spot their errors immediately and grow more confident.  [Learn More](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/multilingual/hello-britannica/) ### Britannica School: Early Elementary Offer engaging read-aloud articles with age-appropriate vocabulary, vibrant images, and videos to keep young learners engaged. Emergent bilingual students can autonomously switch between English text and Spanish text by utilizing the English/Spanish toggle feature, allowing classroom teachers to use the tools in class to strengthen both languages during whole- and small-group instructional time. [Learn More](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/prek-12-solutions/school/early-elementary/) ### Britannica Expedition: Learn! Support science and social studies by using this instructional platform with standards-aligned, interdisciplinary lessons that build content knowledge and enhance reading comprehension, vocabulary, and critical-thinking skills. Promote inclusivity with embedded tools for reading text aloud and translating text into more than 200 languages. [Learn More](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/prek-12-solutions/expedition-learn/) ### Teach Britannica Access educator support tools anytime, anywhere with an all-in-one resource hub crafted by educators who truly understand classroom challenges. Explore time-saving lesson minis, graphic organizers, exit tickets, and comprehensive instructional strategies, including resources for multilingual learners. [Learn More](http://www.teachbritannica.com) ### Britannica Escolar Cater to diverse learning needs with trusted Spanish-language research content and resources, helping both native Spanish speakers and foreign language learners to excel and broaden their global perspectives. [Learn More](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/multilingual/britannica-escolar/) ### Britannica School Provide access to curated, curriculum-aligned content tailored for varied student ages and abilities. Filled with thousands of rich, engaging resources, teachers can scaffold content and provide language support to meet the needs of multilingual learners, with the opportunity to easily translate content into more than 100 languages.  [Learn More](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/prek-12/britannica-school/) ![Viviana Hall](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/be-author-viviana-hall-150x150.png) About the Author **Viviana Hall, MBE, MTS** *Global Bilingual-ESL-Dual Language Consultant, Viviana Hall Consulting* Britannica Education’s consulting writer and professional learning subject-matter expert is a native of Bogota, Colombia, and has more than 20 years of experience in bilingual and multilingual language learning education. She currently serves on collegiate advisory boards for both East Texas A&M University and Southern Methodist University. She is a dedicated advocate for bilingual education, with a career spanning roles as a bilingual teacher and leader in developing and implementing bilingual teacher training programs at universities across North Texas. She is also a policy advocate focusing on teacher retention and dual-language instructional strategies that benefit language minority students. Viviana’s journey in bilingual education has established her as a passionate educator, committed advocate, respected advisor, and dedicated researcher. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/be-word-cloud-background-1024x585.png) ## Recent Blog *Posts* ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/be-blog-teacher-appreciation-2026.png) [Teacher Appreciation](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/teacher-appreciation/) #### Teach Britannica, for Educators, with Love May 4, 2026 [Read More: Teach Britannica, for Educators, with Love](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/teacher-appreciation/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/be-blog-hbd-america.jpg) [Content Spotlight](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/expedition-learn/content-spotlight/) #### Happy Birthday, America! 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