How Bilingual Instruction in TK Unlocks Confidence, Voice, and Learning

When One Question Changes Everything

In a Transitional Kindergarten classroom, a group of students were learning about ocean animals — their habitats, diets, and unique characteristics. During circle time, the teacher asked the children to share the names of sea creatures they knew. One little boy stayed quiet, his eyes focused on the floor.

Sensing hesitation, the teacher gently repeated the question — this time in Spanish. The boy’s hand shot up. Suddenly, the room filled with his voice as he confidently named one animal after another — el tiburón, la ballena, la tortuga — even describing their behaviors and traits in detail. His knowledge was vast, his language precise, his joy unmistakable.

‍Had the teacher not made space for his home language, that brilliance might have gone unnoticed. Instead, it was celebrated — and it changed how everyone in the room learned together. In the days that followed, the teacher invited all students, including English-only speakers, to learn some of the animal names in Spanish. What began as a science lesson became something deeper — a lesson in belonging, curiosity, and respect for linguistic diversity.

“When children are given the chance to express themselves in both languages, we don’t just hear more words — we see more of who they are.”
‍

Moments like this reflect the heart of SEAL’s work: helping educators uncover every child’s potential by making language the bridge to learning — where every voice is valued, and every child’s brilliance has the space to shine.

‍

Interested in how bilingual, language-rich instruction can strengthen early literacy and learning outcomes in your classrooms or district?

Explore SEAL’s 2025 Annual Report to see how educators across California are using research-based, bilingual approaches to build confidence, voice, and academic success for multilingual learners — and learn how SEAL partners with schools and districts to support this work.

👉 Read the Annual Report: https://www.seal.org/2025-annual-report

‍