An Interview with Kirsten Kollgaard and Mary DeSimone, Presenters of ‘Supporting Newcomers to the US: A 4 Part Virtual Mini Series’ April 2025
“I’m most excited for teachers to have a community where they can learn, share ideas, and support each other. Working with multilingual learners—especially newcomers and SLIFE—can feel overwhelming, but having a network of colleagues to collaborate with makes a huge difference.” -Mary DeSimone
pictured above: Kirsten Kollgaard and Mary DeSimone
Mary and Kirsten not only have a depth of knowledge and experience but a passion for bringing their knowledge to all educators who work with multilingual learners and their families. In anticipation of their 4 part virtual mini series beginning April 2nd, I asked the two of them if they would sit down with me for a quick interview so we could get a sneak peek into what they have in store for us this spring. Here is what they so generously shared with me. Enjoy!
Can you please tell us about your experience and background working with multilingual learners, SLIFE, and Newcomers to the US? What drew you to this work? What inspired you to create this mini series for multilingual learners?
Mary: I began working with newcomers in 2003 and spent 10 years as a district newcomer teacher, providing pull-out support and helping them navigate content classes. That was my first experience with SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education) students, leading me to contribute to Massachusetts' SLIFE protocols and identification process—an eye-opening journey of trial and error.
From there, I became an EL coach for content teachers and later a district administrator overseeing newcomer programs. I’ve always been drawn to newcomers’ diversity and potential—I love building connections, watching their confidence grow, and knowing their opportunities expand. Seeing more districts welcome SLIFE and newcomer students, often for the first time, inspired me to join this project. Teachers want to support their students but need practical, high-impact strategies—and that’s exactly what we aim to provide.
Kirsten: I have been an educator of multilingual learners in Vermont and abroad for 20 years in a variety of settings and grade levels. I taught in the Winooski School District in Vermont when they started to see a significant increase of newcomer SLIFE students from war torn areas around the globe and as I moved into an administrative role overseeing the Multilingual Learner programs for the district, I helped develop newcomer programs across the district.
Now I work as an educational consultant in districts across Vermont and New Hampshire who are seeing increases in the number of newcomer SLIFE students. Through this work I realized how many districts and staff need help supporting these students and aren’t sure where to turn for resources. We hope this miniseries will help them feel better prepared for supporting students.
What is the current make-up of multilingual learners, SLIFE, and Newcomers to the US that live in Vermont? What should our schools know about this population in Vermont? How has your own experience with multilingual learners influenced the development of this mini series?
Kirsten - Districts around Vermont are seeing increasing numbers of multilingual learners and the majority of these students are newcomers to the US public school systems who fit the definition of SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education). Most multilingual learners in Vermont are coming as refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers or through other immigration avenues. As a result of their experiences and the immigration process, most arrive with some degree of interrupted schooling, ranging from a few months to a few years.
These students vary in their heritage language, ethnic background and country of origin, but have similar needs around safety and security and academic and linguistic support as they adapt to their new setting in US schools. As we’ve worked with SLIFE students from a variety of backgrounds, we’ve noticed these common needs and plan to share out how to address them in the miniseries.
What challenges do educators typically face when teaching multilingual learners, and how does your mini series help them overcome these challenges?
Mary: One of the biggest challenges teachers face when working with MLs, particularly newcomers and SLIFE students, is lack of training and limited time—both time to learn best practices and time to plan for and implement them effectively. Many educators are eager to support their students but feel overwhelmed by where to start.
This mini-series addresses these challenges by providing clear, actionable strategies that can be implemented immediately. Each session focuses on a key area that helps teachers understand their students, streamline processes, and create an inclusive learning environment while fostering a sense of shared responsibility among educators to support MLs effectively.
How do you support teachers who might be new to working with multilingual learners or who may feel overwhelmed by the diversity in their classrooms?
Mary: Supporting teachers new to multilingual learners starts with building empathy and offering small, high-impact strategies. One powerful way is to give teachers the experience of feeling like an EL themselves, helping them understand the challenges firsthand. Simple changes like using visuals, incorporating explicit language lessons, creating vocabulary walls, and providing structured interaction can make a huge difference. Ensuring students feel welcome and included is key—relationships and culturally responsive practices matter. Most importantly, it's okay to be vulnerable, ask questions, and learn from colleagues. No one has to have all the answers on day one!
If a teacher could only focus on one aspect of supporting multilingual learners, what should it be?
Mary: That is a complex question with many variables. When considering newcomers and SLIFE students, if we had to focus on just one area, it would be oracy—building their ability to express themselves verbally. Strong oral language skills lay the foundation for reading, writing, and overall academic success.
How do you help teachers build cultural competence and understand the nuances of teaching students from different linguistic backgrounds?
Mary: Slowly! Cultural competence develops over time and often happens alongside learning about students’ backgrounds. As teachers notice cultural differences in their students, they also begin to reflect on their own cultural norms and unspoken expectations.
The key is curiosity over judgment—being open to learning about students' cultural norms rather than assuming misunderstanding or defiance. For example, a teacher may expect eye contact as a sign of respect, while in some cultures, direct eye contact with authority figures is considered disrespectful. By recognizing these differences, adjusting expectations, and/or explicitly teaching classroom norms, teachers can create a more inclusive and supportive environment where all students feel valued and understand what is expected of them.
What are you most excited about for the participants of this 4 part mini-series?
Mary: I’m most excited for teachers to have a community where they can learn, share ideas, and support each other. Working with multilingual learners—especially newcomers and SLIFE—can feel overwhelming, but having a network of colleagues to collaborate with makes a huge difference.
I’m also excited for teachers to try out the strategies and see how their students respond. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a student engage, grow in confidence, and succeed because of small but intentional shifts in instruction. Seeing those moments in the classroom is what this work is all about!
Thank you, Mary and Kirsten! We can’t wait for your mini series. Its not too late; register HERE to join us and we will see you all on April 2nd at 2:30.
