With the increasing linguistic diversity of students in many classrooms around the world, teachers need to be well-equipped with strategies to address the learning needs of students with limited proficiency in the dominant language of the classroom. This article outlines various strategies that might help teachers reach that goal by taking advantage of students' proficiency in their first language, using examples from the United States. Conversations about the significance of students' first language can contribute to enhancing students' confidence and learning abilities. What can be learned about the value of first language in education has relevance for multi-lingual learning environments across the world.