Virtual Visual Art Integration and Biology: More Favor or Challenges for Emergent Bi/Multilingual High Schoolers

As educators, we are becoming increasingly aware that delivering effective education will likely change after the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, we have an opportunity to frame teaching differently and bring innovation to the forefront. In doing so, educators explored online tools and creative ways to connect with students and found new ways to teach.Using an exploratory case study methodology and working within a theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism (SI), I investigated how virtual teaching visual arts integration and biology are more favorable or challenging for emergent bi/multilingual high schoolers. The lesson titled Using Depiction to Illustrate the Interdependent Functions of a Plant Cell was implemented. I implemented a series of visual arts integration activities with ten ninth-grade emergent bi/multilingual students at a mid-sized high school in the United States' southeastern region. Research activities took place, via zoom, in a communication skills class. The findings reveal that learning new content mediums and skills during visual arts integration activities enhances students' learning process. Moreover, emergent bi/multilingual students can benefit from face-to-face classes because they receive more practice speaking and benefit from their teacher's advice on their tasks. Nevertheless, more flexible class times and delivery methods may help students meet the many challenges created by the need to help provide for their families.