Social Integration and
Peer Relationships

Issue 1: Students avoid participating in group work or class discussions.

Potential Reason: They have experienced negative feedback or correction in front of peers.

Strategies:

  • Use private conferencing for corrective feedback – Provide feedback in a one-on-one setting to preserve student dignity. Keep tone supportive and focus on growth areas using a strengths-based approach.

  • Encourage a “mistakes help us learn” mindset – Normalize errors by modeling your own and showing how they lead to learning. Use classroom mantras or posters that reinforce the value of risk-taking.

  • Use sentence frames and modeling – Provide structured language that supports safe participation (e.g., "I think... because..." or "One idea is..."). Model how to build on peers’ ideas respectfully.

Potential Reason: They do not see enough peer models who take language risks.

Strategies:

  • Highlight language learners who take risks – Celebrate students who try using the target language in class. Use shout-outs, bulletin boards, or journals to recognize growth, not just proficiency.

  • Use peer encouragement strategies – Assign buddies who provide positive feedback when a student shares. Practice phrases like “Thanks for sharing!” or “That was a great idea!” to foster a supportive peer culture.

  • Set participation goals for individuals – Personalize student engagement strategies. Create personal engagement goals for students. Track progress privately and reflect weekly to help build accountability and ownership.

Issue 2: Students group themselves by language preference, limiting exposure to the other language.

Potential Reason: They feel more comfortable socializing in their stronger language.

Strategies:

  • Create structured language exchanges – Design partner tasks where each student uses both languages. For example, in math, one student explains a concept in English, the other rephrases in Spanish.

  • Use cooperative learning strategies – Assign interdependent roles in bilingual groups (e.g., vocabulary builder, summarizer) that require using both languages. Rotate roles to promote balanced use.

  • Rotate groupings frequently – Plan intentional pairings and table groups, changing them weekly or biweekly. Balance language backgrounds and skills to foster cross-language interactions.

Potential Reason: Classroom activities do not provide structured opportunities for cross-language collaboration.

Strategies:

  • Implement dual-language projects – Use tasks where students must read, write, or present in both languages. For example, research in English, report in Spanish. Use rubrics that assess bilingual use.

  • Use partner reading and peer editing across languages – Assign partners to read aloud in one language and discuss in another, or edit writing drafts across languages. This supports comprehension and metalinguistic development.

  • Establish bilingual learning centers – Designate spaces or rotations where materials are presented in different languages, encouraging fluid language use throughout the day.

Potential Reason: There is an implicit hierarchy between languages that influences social interactions.

Strategies:

  • Discuss language equity explicitly – Facilitate class conversations on language status and the value of bilingualism. Use tools like "language autobiographies" or "personal language maps" where students reflect on their experiences learning and using different languages, to explore linguistic identity and challenge language hierarchies.

  • Feature bilingual guest speakers and role models –  Invite professionals or community members who use both languages meaningfully. Let students ask questions and make connections.

  • Celebrate multilingualism in school culture – Promote events like bilingual book fairs, heritage language weeks, or morning announcements in multiple languages. Visibility affirms all students' linguistic identities.

Issue 3:  Newcomer students feel isolated and have difficulty forming connections with peers.

Potential Reason: They experience language barriers that make social interactions challenging. 

Strategies:

  • Use peer mentors and buddy systems – During social interactions, pair newcomers with bilingual peers who can help translate, model routines, and provide friendship. Rotate buddies regularly to expose students to different personalities and language models.

  • Introduce non-verbal participation activities – Use games, art, music, and movement to create inclusive ways for students to interact. These activities build relationships without relying heavily on language proficiency.

  • Provide guided lunchtime or recess groups – Facilitate structured social times where teachers or aides lead games or conversations. These settings promote inclusion and ensure that no students are left out.

Potential Reason: They lack cultural knowledge of classroom norms and peer expectations. 

Strategies:

  • Use visuals and role-play scenarios – Teach unwritten rules like how to join a group, ask for help, or take turns. Use illustrated charts and practice scenarios so students can apply these skills in low-stakes environments.

  • Encourage cross-cultural storytelling – Provide opportunities for students to share traditions, customs, and personal stories in multiple formats (e.g., oral, video, drawings). This builds empathy and connection.

  • Assign a cultural liaison or student ambassador – Designate a trained student or adult to regularly check in with newcomers and serve as a bridge between cultures.

Potential Reason: There are few intentional structures in place to support newcomer integration. 

Strategies:

  • Create “welcome kits” with key phrases and school routines –  Include visuals and translations for common procedures like lining up, using supplies, or navigating the building. Provide a bilingual glossary of school terms.

  • Host newcomer family orientations – Offer sessions in families’ home languages to introduce school expectations, community resources, and support systems. Include opportunities for families to ask questions and connect with staff.

  • Hold regular check-ins with newcomers – Schedule brief weekly meetings with a trusted adult to discuss successes, questions, and concerns. Track progress in both academic and social integration.

Issue 4: Students who speak the partner language at home feel pressure to act as translators for peers, impacting their learning experience.

Potential Reason: Teachers and peers rely on them as unofficial translators rather than using structured language supports. 

Strategies:

  • Provide bilingual glossaries and scaffolds – Develop classroom resources such as word banks, labeled visuals, and sentence frames in both languages. Ensure these are available to all students so no one becomes the default translator.

  • Encourage group work where students are equal contributors – Design collaborative activities where responsibilities are distributed equitably (e.g., all students take turns summarizing, questioning, or illustrating). Avoid assigning language-specific roles unless by student choice.

  • Use formal translation support through technology or volunteers – Use tools like Microsoft Translator or enlist adult bilingual volunteers for interpretation needs. Normalize asking for support so it doesn’t fall solely on student shoulders.

Potential Reason: They feel a sense of responsibility to help others at the expense of their own learning.

Strategies:

  • Balance support with independence – Reinforce that while being helpful is valuable, it’s important each student focuses on their own academic progress. Pair helpfulness with opportunities to work independently or lead in other capacities.

  • Recognize and validate their bilingual skills – Publicly affirm students’ language talents without framing them as tools for others. Use praise that centers identity, such as “You bring important language knowledge to our class.”

  • Offer alternative leadership roles – Assign roles such as materials manager, discussion leader, or project coordinator to allow students to shine outside of language mediation. Rotate these regularly to diversify student contributions.

Potential Reason: They are not given alternative ways to contribute to class without acting as interpreters.

Strategies:

  • Assign leadership roles unrelated to language support – Create roles in group work or class routines (e.g., timekeeper, tech assistant) that let bilingual students contribute in ways that don’t center translation.

  • Encourage diverse ways to demonstrate understanding – Allow students to show mastery through visuals, bilingual presentations, performance tasks, or written reflection in either language.

  • Provide equitable access to learning materials for all students – Ensure translated documents, glossaries, and linguistic scaffolds are available to everyone. Reduce the need for peer interpretation by making supports systemic.