Professor Emeritus Jim Cummins, Ph.D., joins Susan Lambert from the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education for an engaging conversation that explores the dynamics of language development and bilingual education, as well as the importance of a supportive learning environment for multilingual/English learners. Cummins shares stories from his extensive experience and research in the field, highlighting the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, the importance of literacy engagement, and the role of translanguaging in educational settings. He also illuminates the challenges and opportunities in fostering multilingual capabilities and underscores the value of embracing students' linguistic diversity in schools.Show notes:Listen to episode 1, Language is always an asset, with Kajal Patel BelowRead: Translanguaging in Bilingual Education by Ofelia García and Angel M.Y. LinWebsite: Language Friendly SchoolQuotes:“Virtually all the research highlights the importance of being in a communicative, interactive context if you want to pick up a language." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.“There are differences between the linguistic demands of schooling and the kind of language that we use in everyday conversational context outside of school." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.“All of these processes are amplified when there's a community of peers or people that we can discuss these ideas with, we can get feedback, we can explore ideas collectively." —Jim Cummins, Ph.D.Episode timestamps*02:00 Introduction: Who is Jim Cummins03:00 Personal Language Journey10:00 Global Perspectives on Language Education18:00 Conversion to academic language spectrum20:00 The process of learning a second language25:00 Language awareness37:00 Translanguaging and Language Policy43:00 Benefits of being multilingual and fostering a supportive environment49:00 Joint statement*Timestamps are approximate, rounded to nearest minute