Building Tier 1 language instruction in an inquiry based learning environment

Every classroom is a language classroom — but not every teacher has been given the tools to teach it that way. This session explores how to embed Tier 1 language instruction into the fabric of inquiry-based learning, without adding another layer to an already full teaching day. Drawing on WIDA ELD Standards, UDL principles, and a whole-school MTSS lens, participants will leave with practical frameworks they can use immediately: co-planning structures, scaffolding strategies, and data-informed approaches that serve every learner — EAL-identified or not — in any grade level or international school context.

Presenter

Veronica Clough

EAL Coordinator
Shanghai Community International School

Veronica Clough is an EAL Coordinator and instructional leader at Shanghai Community International School, where she designs campus-wide language frameworks grounded in WIDA ELD Standards, UDL, and IB PYP. With over 20 years of experience across China, Germany, Thailand, and Canada, she brings an early childhood leadership lens to multilingual learning systems — believing that when educators understand how language grows, every classroom becomes a richer place for every student. A published researcher and conference presenter, Veronica is particularly interested in moving EAL from a pull-out service into a whole-school, MTSS-aligned model of language instruction.