This page invites you to consider ways in which we can elevate current practices in evidencing learning and collating portfolios.
The purpose?
To honour the identity of all learners and let them tell the story of their experiences; taking an asset based stance that holds the learner at the heart.
Portfolios must honour all learners; their individual voice, their personal experiences, their unique reflections, their own aspirations and relay their authentic personal story. This then enables all learners to view themselves as individuals who are learning, growing, and progressing. It cultivates an understanding that they have a unique personal identity and a learning pathway that is theirs and theirs alone. It is grounded in movement and focused on future.
Learning Portfolios
Elements of portfolios to consider through the lens of a multilingual learner.
Purpose: Honour Multilingual Identities.
Story
Telling our stories is important. All of us seek to be understood. To be heard. To be valued. Think from the perspective of a multilingual learner – How do we seek to hear, to understand, to value their experiences? What do we know about their stories? What do we share about our own?
Journey
The journey of any learner is one filled with highs and lows, of struggle and success, of challenges and achievements, of progress and set-backs. How can we give space for our multilingual learners to share their journey in their own authentic voice? What practices would enable multilingual learners to express their full linguistic selves?
Evidence
Portfolios provide a space for learners to evidence and document their own learning. The process of selecting and reflecting on pieces of evidence is a powerful learning experience in itself. How can we better engage and enable multilingual learners to evidence their own learning with authenticity and deep understanding? How can we make this process accessible?
Future
Whilst a portfolio is a collection of learning that involves reflecting on the past I would argue that at the heart of effective portfolio practices is that they are future focused. How can we best elevate dialogue to enable multilingual learners to define purpose and set the direction of where they are headed?
Elevating Portfolio Practices to Honour Multilingual Learner Identities
Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash I recently wrote about shifting our mindsets towards ‘honouring all languages’ in our learning spaces and communities. As with much that is connected to mindset this can be viewed on a continuum. Sometimes it requires small tweaks and finding…
Jenny O'Fee 