Factors in Multilingual Learners' Science Success

Students who leverage, or are working to leverage, more than one language for learning have been labeled in various ways, including English language learner, English learner, emergent bilingual, limited English proficient, and multilingual learner, among others. There exists no universally accepted definition, and certain terms were intentionally coined to capture specific nuances within the identified group. In our research, we use the inclusive term Multilingual Learner (ML) to encompass students formally identified in educational institutions through federal or state regulations, as well as those who may be acquiring English proficiency alongside another language without meeting formal identification criteria in schools.