Multilingual Learners in Steam: Teaching Framework and Practical Tools for Elementary Grades

As multilingual student populations grow in elementary classrooms, STEAM educators face the dual challenge of supporting English development and content mastery. Traditional STEAM curricula often overlook the cultural and linguistic assets multilingual learners bring. Multilingual Learners in STEAM: Teaching Framework and Practical Tools for Elementary Grades offers a solution through the Equitable STEAM Education for Multilingual Learners (ESEM) framework-an equity-focused, interdisciplinary, and culturally and linguistically responsive approach. Grounded in research on translanguaging, visual literacy, and integrated STEAM instruction, the book presents actionable principles to create inclusive, asset-based STEAM learning environments. Each chapter highlights practical strategies for designing culturally relevant curriculum, promoting linguistic justice, integrating technology, building community partnerships, and fostering teacher collaboration. It empowers educators to engage multilingual learners and advocate for just, transformative STEAM education.

Eun Kyung Ko, PhD., is a Professor of Science Education at National Louis University whose work centers on culturally responsive teaching and STEAM integration in diverse K–12 settings. Her research advances equity for multilingual learners and underrepresented groups in STEM. As Co-PI of the NSF-funded ENACTS project, she develops professional learning that supports inclusive, community based STEAM instruction. Holding a doctorate from the Illinois Institute of Technology, she has led multiple NSF projects and created tools such as the Adaptive Cycle of Teaching to strengthen teachers' pedagogical practices.

Xiaoning Chen,PhD., is an Associate Professor and chair of the ESL/Bilingual Education at National Louis University. She holds a doctorate in Language and Literacy Education from Purdue University. Dr. Chen has two decades of experience in language education and teacher training in the U.S. and abroad. Her research interests include visual literacy, multicultural children's literature, and multimodal literacies.
She has served the International Visual Literacy Association board member since 2019 and two terms as an assistant editor for the
IVLA Book of the Selected Readings.