Building Bridges: California Teachers Leverage Linguistic Skills to Support Students

Photo caption: Lorena Guerrero with sixth grade student.

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, a time to recognize the assets, needs, and achievements of bilingual and multilingual learners as well as the ongoing efforts to prepare highly qualified bilingual teachers.

Lorena Guerrero, a sixth-grade teacher at Baldy View Elementary School in Upland, views earning her bilingual authorization as an investment in the future of students and society. The 29-year veteran teacher completed her bilingual authorization in May 2025, a decision she said was a very intentional step in her professional journey.

“Having grown up in bilingual classrooms back in the 80s, I’ve always been a big believer in these programs. I know firsthand how much of a difference this kind of education makes, and because of my own experience, I’m driven to help my students succeed in that same way—by making sure their native language is always valued and respected,” said Guerrero.

At Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter School in El Dorado Hills, Yanfang Yang is a newly credentialed second grade teacher with a bilingual authorization. Yang uses Mandarin as the primary language of instruction for Chinese Language and Arts, social studies, science, and math, while English Language Arts is taught in English.

“In a linguistically diverse state like California, multilingualism is not just about language. It helps students feel seen and valued, while giving them meaningful ways to connect their learning to their families, communities, and an increasingly global world,” said Yang. “For me, pursuing my bilingual authorization was a commitment to honoring who my students are and preparing them to engage confidently across languages and cultures.”

Yang and Guerrero were among the first teacher candidates to complete a field experience, a real-world requirement of the Commission’s revised 2021 Bilingual Authorization Program Standards and new Bilingual Teaching Performance Expectations (BTPEs). 

The field experience provides candidates with flexibility and opportunities to experience teaching in different language immersion settings at different grade levels while concurrently working on their teaching credential(s) or adding a bilingual authorization for teachers who already hold a teaching credential. For guidance on how to obtain a bilingual authorization, interested educators may visit the Commission’s website. 

For information on California’s new campaign to build the conditions, policy commitments, and public will needed to make multilingualism a defining feature of California’s P-12 education system, visit MLE4ALL.