IWERC recently published a descriptive landscape report on Illinois rural and high-need rural districts and SMT retention in these districts. What did we learn about SMT retention? Swipe to learn more. A research brief and the full report can be found at go.illinois.edu/RuralSMT.
![“[Artists] understand that inspiration comes from everywhere. I feel like they do their necessary research, they’re resourceful. They can’t just rely on what’s in their brain…they’re absorbing and…they’re really kind of working the plan.” New Creative Workforce Report. Beneath: Name and logos of Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership. Background: Darkened image of a group of actors.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:oko6jlflhyd7i5ya4ij5ocyw/bafkreiczm6zacwjnoguhjslrzr5ri5jze5dsxnhzatupzop5izfob65y6i)
![“If you want people who are truly going to think differently and independently of you and give you new ways of thinking about things that you haven’t before, then [artists] are the people for you.” New Creative Workforce Report. Beneath: Name and logos of Illinois Creative Workforce Partnership. Background: Darkened image of a singer.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:oko6jlflhyd7i5ya4ij5ocyw/bafkreihhc6lfdkhtux2e46twrm4vf3hd4iv2yk4w4yt467cz46pobjfzze)
!["You need to use ESL (English as a Second Language) approaches with translanguaging, even at [the early childhood] level. It is super important to go beyond traditional early childhood approaches and include all these other ESL-based."
In our new study on multilingual learners in Illinois early childhood settings, stakeholders highlighted important instructional practices for working with multilingual families.
Stakeholders called for early childhood providers to be intentional about embedding goals for multilingual learners in curriculum and teacher training, going beyond labeling materials or repeating instructions in different languages.
To learn more, read our new report: go.illinois.edu/ECE_ML](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:oko6jlflhyd7i5ya4ij5ocyw/bafkreig4pnjtyazhiv56wlg5z4dsmdwa4jnpbaqdhzmuya4mttgqiwsq6e)
