Literacy Activities to Prepare MLL Students for an Art Museum Visit

Authors

• Marion J. Tate, University of Detroit MercyFollow

Abstract

This article describes how I prepared newcomer Yemeni students to visit, understand, and learn from museums while also strengthening their English language development and cultural identity. Many students had limited English proficiency; however, they brought rich personal, family, and cultural knowledge into the classroom. To build on those strengths, I used literacy-based activities before, during, and after museum visits. These activities included shared and independent reading with e-books, pre-assessment charts, vocabulary development, guided discussions, reflective writing, collage-making, and student-led decision-making. Each strategy helped students practice English in meaningful ways while connecting museum content to memory, immigration, history, culture, and identity.  The article focuses on slowing down instruction, allowing time for reflection, and listening to students’ stories. It also shows how museum preparation can become more than a field-trip routine. It can create space for multilingual learners to share what they know, ask questions, build confidence, and experience a stronger sense of belonging.

Author Bio

Dr. Marion J. Tate is Assistant Director of Educational Development in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at the University of Detroit Mercy. A Detroit native and educator with more than 25 years of experience, she has taught English to Yemeni and Bengali middle school students and taught linguistics and assessment methods at Wayne State University. Her current work includes faculty development, course design, and workshops exploring how educators can remain human in the AI age. Her research explores social interaction, immigrants’ ethnic and cultural identity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and museum-based learning. Her study of Pakistani mother-daughter pairs examined art and immigrant museum visits, both in person and through a researcher-designed home-virtual museum. Dr. Tate is committed to creating meaningful learning experiences that honor students’ backgrounds, strengthen participation, and connect learning to culture, community, and real-world practice. She can be reached at [email protected].

Recommended Citation

Tate, Marion J. (2026) "Literacy Activities to Prepare MLL Students for an Art Museum Visit," Michigan Reading Journal: Vol. 59: Iss. 1, Article 13.
Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj/vol59/iss1/13