When the CHC Multilingual Noncredit Program was awarded the Zero Textbook Cost Grant, the program took the opportunity to combine multiple needs into a project that can support a diverse adult multilingual student population with a wide range of capacities and abilities.

This resulted in a cross-disciplinary learning community of faculty committed to developing curricula that are rigorous, culturally responsive, and attuned to the linguistic and academic needs of our students. While the primary grant deliverables are textbooks, framing the project as a faculty learning community (FLC) aligned with our mission that faculty need to be engaged in ongoing reflection, collaboration, and professional education to better serve our students. The design also builds institutional capacity by expanding expertise, cultivating shared pedagogy, and increasing campus-wide investment in multilingual students and education. 

The FLC is composed of seven participants with various disciplinary training, teaching experiences, classifications, and roles across the college. They were chosen based on their disciplinary expertise, experience with and/or desire to serve our multilingual student population, and their commitment to supporting and fostering meaningful connections with our students.  

We partnered with Dr. Lyn Westergard, a researcher and curriculum developer, in making sure our work is pedagogically sound. Dr. Westergard is serving as our consultant in creating all four textbooks and– most importantly–helping members of the learning community grow as curriculum designers. This approach further ensures that the resources, time, and labor invested in this initiative move beyond the four textbook deliverables and into the instructors who will carry the necessary knowledge and education to create more high-quality zero-cost textbooks and open educational resources (OER) long after grant funding has been exhausted. 

Presently, the FLC has completed two of the four textbooks. Book three is expected to be completed by the end of Summer 2026 and the fourth and final book in Fall 2026.

Preview our two textbooks below. Please let me know if you would like the full version.