ABSTRACT
This chapter provides research and classroom strategies that can be applied in a variety of college- level contexts—English as a Second Language (ESL), developmental, and credit-bearing courses—to support the success of linguistically diverse students. Philosophically, it is problematic to describe certain students as "linguistically diverse" simply because their languages may not align with the expectations of higher education. The chapter aims to acknowledge the need for a change in attitude toward linguistic diversity and the pedagogical practices that certain attitudes engender, and provides strategies to support the academic language and literacy development needed for success in college. It provides an overview of linguistic diversity in the U.S, and also provides descriptions of the students that comprise this heterogeneous group and the challenges they face at the postsecondary level. The chapter offers strategies to support linguistically diverse students, beginning with those that can be applied broadly and concluding with those recommended for the specific students described.
