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The Importance of Mother Tongue in Education

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The Importance of Mother Tongue in Education

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The mother tongue is crucial in the IB education system for fostering cognitive development, a strong cultural identity, and academic proficiency. It provides a foundation for success in learning multiple languages and helps build confidence. Combined with a growth mindset, the mother tongue supports students in seeing challenges as opportunities for growth, not obstacles. This holistic approach enhances both academic achievement and personal development, making the IB experience more inclusive and empowering for all students.

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The IB system recognizes that language shapes how we think, feel, and connect with each other. So I think language is a key to identity and culture in IB system.

In IB system, students need to learn multiple languages. This helps students assess diverse perspectives and become open-minded person in the global environment. Meanwhile, it also brings challenges for students vs. traditional education.

In PYP, language is taught both as a subject and through all subject areas, and focus on oral, visual, and written language. In MYP, students must study at least two languages, the goal is to develop their academic proficiency and functional fluency. In DP, students are required to study at least one course in language and literature and one in language acquisition or second language literature. In CP, students must engage in language development as part of the CP core.

As a Chinese language teacher, I feel it's very important for IB teachers to drive students to learn language under IB mechanism, and not only about language grammar, most important thing, is to let students to really apply language to think, to practice, to solve the real issues in the global contexts.

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Strategies That Help Multilingual Students 

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Strategies That Help Multilingual Students 

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This is a must read for anyone teaching at the elementary level. It reads like more of a recipe book than an article on theory. None of the activities other than sentence patterning need to be saved for multilingual students. I don't mean to degrade sentence patterning, I do it often now and it is excellent for multilingual students. But all of the strategies are simply good teaching. I was familiar with most; I have never done a learning log or student feedback. Basically, I went to grad-school, learned a lot of great strategies, and then went to work. Sometimes over the years I'll forget things or they fall out of use, perhaps out of laziness. Teaching is like cooking, you find a good recipe, make it, and over time, might forget about it. It is always a reward for me to go back to an old recipe and remember how well everyone liked it, and then to make it again.

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Strategies That Help Multilingual Students Learn Content and English at the Same Time

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Teachers can use these strategies to help keep students who are still learning English on track with their peers.

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Recently, the emphasis on the use of mother tongue in education has been quite prominent. Based on the researches, a strong mother tongue foundation leads to more advanced critical thinking, literacy skills, easier to pick up a second language and a more positive attitude towards school. They often display a deeper understanding of themselves and their place within society, along with an increased sense of wellbeing and confidence

I quite relate to what the article is saying. My first language is Filipino (Tagalog). Then when I moved to a different part of the country when I was around 3 or 4 years old, I learned another Philippine Language (Waray). When I started schooling, I was introduced to the English language.

I am not saying that when it comes to literacy, numeracy skills or critical thinking I am advanced but I also think it is an advantage because we get to process things in different ways. But I also ask myself if I even had a strong foundation when it comes to my mother tongue. Maybe if I take both (English and Filipino) language tests, I would get a better grade in English. How do we build this as parents and teachers? Does it only mean using it at home and teaching using the language or are there more things that we could do to build the strong foundation?

Now that I have a daughter, I tend to rethink about the things to be done to build a strong foundation of her mother tongue. At home, we are using English and so that's the first language she learned. At school she is using Japanese since she is in a Japanese nursery school. I would also love for her to learn Filipino (Tagalog), Waray, and Ilonggo/Hiligaynon (Husband's mother tongue). The only time that she would hear us speak this language is when we are talking to our family members through video calls. However, when we let her talk to them, they would prefer using English and so my daughter would still respond in English.

It is quite hard to build a strong mother tongue foundation unless there is a bigger community that would help support the child as well as reinforce it through formal education. An immediate community support is a crucial factor for this to be successful.

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Importance of mother tongue in education | Independent Education Today

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Mother tongue meaning | The importance of mother tongue & the role of mother tongue in education, including the advantages for children using mother tongue in education specifically.

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Last school year, I handled Grade 1 and I was given a student with zero English. It was very challenging for me as a teacher, for her as a student, and for the family to support her learning.

She would always make a scene in the classroom by moving a lot and making unnecessary noises. I also heard from the family that there were times when she would have nightmares and would experience bedwetting. It occurred at school as well but she was unaware that it happened since she would just ignore these things.

I would say that these things happened because she felt stressed out and couldn't cope with the language barrier at school. That's the reason why affective filter (Krashen) is an important thing that teachers should know when dealing with ELLs.

It took time for her to be able to adjust and speak on her own in class. But within the school year she was able to collaborate with teams and participate in classroom discussions. We just need to provide opportunities for students to learn and grow in their own phase together with the support they need.

Her classmates were also supportive of her and would always be her assistant when it comes to finishing tasks whether it is a pair or group task. Giving her a chance to lead and be hear was always fulfilling on her part.

Now, she couldn't stop talking and sharing things from home. She is already one of the active students in class. Building her confidence also means you have to exert extra effort in helping them read and write. That is why the teacher's love is the best key in helping children learn and develop a love for learning.

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English Language Learners

When students feel like they're in a safe environment, it becomes easier for them to acquire language and learn course content.

When thinking about a trauma-informed approach, restorative and mindfulness practices usually come to mind. While those are very important to a trauma- informed classroom, instructional practices that teachers use also support a comforting space. Working to make these practices more intentional for a nurturing classroom climate not only can increase students' sense of safety and belonging in the classroom, but eventually can support their academic growth.

In taking English language learners (ELLs) into consideration, it's important to remember that learning a new language in general can increase anxiety. The Krashen theory, which surfaced in the late 1980s, informed educators about how stress can increase the "affective filter." This means that when students are in a high-anxiety environment, it blocks their potential to learn language.

My aim with this article is to support teachers in understanding how to strategically utilize ELL practices in order to create a community for students that gives them access to learning in a way that is nonthreatening. When considering this, it's important to highlight the SIOP Model (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol), which was developed by Jana Echevarria, Mary Ellen Vogt, and Deborah Short. This is a set of strategies that was recommended to create a language "shelter" to make content approachable for ELLs, but what we don't always talk about is how this shelter contributes to a low-stress classroom.

Lesson Planning That Conveys Consistency

Content and language objectives or targets support English language learners in knowing where learning is headed. Think of it this way: If you're in your day-to-day activities, but you don't know what's going to happen next, it may make you nervous. When students know what's expected of them, it decreases anxiety, and they have an understanding of where learning is going.

Posting targets and objectives with a class agenda in addition to explaining all of it to students helps facilitate predictability and comfort. Doing this decreases the "What's next?" question. Content targets help students understand the "what" of the lesson. The language objectives give English language learners guidance in knowing what language the lesson will support and how their language needs are valued. It's important to remember that when you set structures in the classroom, students who need emotional support really value consistency.

I make it a point to intentionally plan time in our lessons when students can get in touch with their voices. This gives students a space for creativity and to feel validation. In my classroom, we're devoted to journaling. At first, students were reluctant. I found that this was mainly because they wondered, "Is my writing good enough?" (especially when English is their second language). I gave students the simple option of writing three sentences or one to two with a picture. I also demonstrated what my own journals look like. Students were given paper journals donated by a community organization that they got to collage and take ownership of as "their writing space." They write daily and love it when I respond to them.

Creating Student Experiences for Collaboration

As I planned for structured academic teams, I learned that I can strategically place my English language learners in teams with other students who become language models. I work in Illinois, which is part of the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium. Looking at students' ACCESS ( the WIDA annual language test) scores and using my own observations of their progress, I placed them in flexible teams where they could get linguistic support from other students.

I placed English language learners with others who could be language models but weren't too far away from them level-wise so as to limit the possibility of intimidation. Not only did this help increase language acquisition, but also my students were less anxious in participating in groups because their peers supported them.

The Importance of Building Background and Comprehensible Input

When we connect content to what students know, we give them a sense of familiarity that can help lower their stress levels. This isn't new information, but we can keep this in mind as we're planning lessons-not just from a social and emotional learning standpoint, but also from a language perspective.

Comprehensible input is language input that supports students when they don't totally understand the content. An example of this is giving English language learners language scaffolds such as word walls and sentence stems. Lately, I've been allowing my students to use artificial intelligence (AI) applications to help them understand content. OpenAI is easy for students to use to look up content they don't know. Even Snapchat-which my students use often-has an AI feature.

1. Allow time for relationship building and grounding in the classroom. This can be through something simple like asking students about their "good things for the day" or taking collective breaths together.

2. Recognize your tone. We might not notice that we speak in tones that students can find intimidating or scary. You may want to check in with your student population about this by addressing the issue in an anonymous survey or through journal entries.

3. Give space for student movement. Sometimes I utilize walking carousels where students walk from space to space to complete a learning activity, classroom scavenger hunts, and World Café strategies to have students move around as they learn language and content.

4. Find unique ways to review and assess content. Move away from paper- or pencil- driven activities. I review with students through games, class discussions, and team-created anchor charts.

My students use AI in research and even in class discussions. It does build confidence. I highly recommend teaching students what these apps are for (and your expectations and guidelines for use in class) before having students use them.

4 Considerations for Your Lesson Delivery

The strategies I've discussed are wonderful when used to support English language learners, but they can really help all students' language learning. When we're providing a "shelter," we're providing a space that allows students to find comfort as they learn a new language. Beyond strategies, our joy is what centers a student's ability to focus and learn in a safe space. When we put love and happiness into our work, the strategies we use become even stronger and are reflected within the learning of the community that we built.

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How to Make Your Class Less Stressful for English Language Learners

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When students feel like they're in a safe environment, it becomes easier for them to acquire language and learn course content.

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I was intrigued by this title because of my experience in Japan during elementary school and Germany during high school.

"Identify and teach math vocabulary" stood out the most. It is about understanding how the mathematical concept works before the term sticks in the learner's memory.

I experienced this in Japan because I didn't have the vocabulary or language capabilities to understand word problems in math, but I was not lacking in mathematical skills. If I saw a diagram of what the concept or problem was, I would be able to understand it.

Being conscious of what your students' language capabilities are is extremely important, to say the least. I want to learn and develop various methods to teach concepts without using complex vocabulary or long explanations like the 6 that are in the article.

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6 Ways to Merge Literacy With Mathematics

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When teachers find creative ways to integrate reading and writing with math curricula, it humanizes the subject matter and allows kids to process unfamiliar material linguistically.

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Mr. Efrain Tovar highlights the goal of translanguaging in his classroom when he states, “Anytime we can encourage them to develop their heritage language so that it’s on par with their English or vice versa—the ultimate goal really is to be bilingual and bi-literate so that you’ll be able to be not only a contributing citizen but also to be a bridge maker when you speak multiple languages with multiple communities.” The practice of embracing a student’s home language and using it in a classroom setting in order to better understand English and/or a given subject is invaluable. In Mr. Tovar’s class, he has students from Yemen, Guatemala, India and other countries. He empowers these kids by reinforcing their sense of agency through their own languages, their own voices. In a town with a high percentile of migrant and immigrant families, the use of translanguaging in school is functional and commendable. I would like to research the prevalence of this practice in other parts of the US. In other parts of the world, are there specific communities which would benefit from promoting heritage language use in the classroom?

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At Abraham Lincoln Middle School, in Selma, California, English language development teacher Efraín Tovar creates a vibrant classroom community for newcomers, immigrant students who have limited English proficiency. In Tovar's class, students come from a wide range of countries-Mexico, Yemen, India, Egypt, Guatemala, and beyond-and he uses this diversity not only to create a safe and welcoming space for learning, but also to further develop and personalize each student's English language learning curriculum. Tovar is an advocate for translanguaging, the practice of encouraging students to use all their linguistic resources to learn academic content and ultimately to be able to move fluently between two or more languages.

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Making Space for Native Languages in Newcomer Classrooms

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When English language learners are given consistent opportunities to practice their home languages in class, their English proficiency flourishes-along with their sense of belonging and identity.

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This article reminds of me the importance of language. I think that learning other countries' languages to know their culture and communicate their thoughts and ideas the most because these qualities have been enriching my learnings and daily lives. At the same time, one of the quotes says "Individuals with weak literacy skills are more likely to be unemployed or, if employed, to be in low paying jobs", and it's same with the IB that people who can't speak or write in English are not employed. It's certain that learning English gives more opportunities to be global and become international mindedness, but I wonder how we are going to manage to learn English with first language's acquisition through the education system. I like to understand more about language learning in IB programmes. Mai

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[Image]. (2014). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2014). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2012). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2014). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from: Emmitt. M, Zbaracki. M, Komesaroff, L & Pollock. J. (2010). Pritchard, A. (2013). Dykes, B. (2007). Murray, S. (2012). Kemp, G. (2013) Rochester Institute of Technology. (2013) NSW Government. (2010) Functions of the English language. (2012) Retrieved from Jain, T. (2014). What are the functions of language? Retrieved from Children at a desk http://www.findapsychologist.org/category/healthcare-topics-issues/learning-challenges/

Rennie, J (2014), EDF1151 Fundamentals of the English Language (Tutorial Notes), unpublished manuscript, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Autism. New York: Taylor and Francis

bluesofamedia.com (Producers and Directors) (2013). Use a Learning Theory: Cognitivism [Video]. United States

bluesofamedia.com (Producers and Directors) (2013). Use a Learning Theory: Behaviourism [Video]. United States

Autism Spectrum Australia (Producers and Directors) (2013). What is Autism? [Video]. Australia

Learning Disabilities. Retrieved 25 May 2014, from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilities.htm.
Grammar. Retrieved 24 May 2014, from: http://www.rit.edu/ntid/rate/sea/processes/wordknowledge/grammatical/whatare.
Language Diversity. Retrieved 24 May 2014, from: http://www.racismnoway.com.au/about-racism/population/index-Diversit-2.html
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/knowledge-database/functions

http://www.preservearticles.com/2011082611895/what-are-the-functions-of-language.html

Language and Learning: An Introduction for Teaching, 5th Edition. Australia: Oxford

Ways of Learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom (3rd Edition). New York: Taylor and Francis

Grammar for Everyone: Practical Tools for Learning and Teaching Grammar. Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research.

School Clip-art http://www.clipartbest.com/school-images-pictures

Children raising hands http://footage.shutterstock.com/clip-2390780-stock-footage-cute-children-raising-their-fingers-in-the-classroom.html Child with hands up http://www.tesoltraining.co.uk/blog/professional-development/young-learners-tefl-tips-for-newbie-teachers/attachment/young-learners-tefl-classroom-advice/

Children reading http://ajgpr.com/uncategorized/reading-rhythm-helps-kids-read-laura-diaz-featurefox-11/

Child with books http://www.vouchersblog.co.uk/home/2012/4/30/a-tall-tale-for-one-little-bookworm.html

Types of sentences http://achocolatedudley.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/fishin-for-compound-sentence.html

Learning disabilities http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112826482/learning-disabilities-found-in-one-out-of-ten-students-041913/

Primary School Students http://improveitalian.com/primary-school-students/

Primary School Students http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/department-of-education-training-and-employment-figures-show-queensland-primary-school-students-are-being-taught-in-overcrowded-classrooms/story-fnihsrf2-1226743434567

Primary School Students http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/struggling-to-afford-an-education-at-a-public-primary-school/story-e6freuy9-1226255992142

Oxford Education (Read Write Inc.) (Producers and Directors) (2011). Phonemes Pronunciation Guide [Video]. United Kingdom.

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The importance of language is often overlooked, but without it everyday life would be made incredibly hard. Simple tasks that we undertake would be made impossible and life as we know it would not...

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Tanner Heaven: International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Subject Brief Language acquisition

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Tanner Heaven: International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Subject Brief Language acquisition

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I wanted to learn more about the MYP, so I chose this article that explains one of the MYP subjects: language acquisition. The document provides an overview of the course aims, curriculum model, assessment criteria, and MYP assessment. I found this document interesting because both MYP language acquisition and the Alberta Program of Studies for foreign languages share a similar interest in the application of the target language and the concept of global citizenship/international mindedness.

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Enhancing World Language Instruction With AI Image Generators - Adam F

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Enhancing World Language Instruction With AI Image Generators - Adam F

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This is a short article displaying a particular active language-learning exercise using generative AI tools. In short, the students are given a particular task, translating some daily habits, and using their translations as example sentences to try and create accurate images using the tools. The result was a playful excursion where the children actively sought out the solutions to their language issues together without interruption from the teacher. Which, while innovatively using a new technology, fits neatly into the IB's active learning ideal, without drawing attention to itself. As a sidenote, I was writing a research proposal about using generative AI as a form of play, and this is a perfect illustration of how it be translated into gamification of education.

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By crafting an AI prompt in the target language to create an image, students can get immediate feedback on their communication skills.

Providing immediate, actionable feedback can be challenging in language classrooms. This is especially true in a learner-driven setting, since typically many people are using the target language at once. While this type of environment offers many advantages, one of the biggest challenges is that without immediate feedback, linguistic faults can become fossilized. Research overwhelmingly shows that without prompt feedback, learners lose their motivation to improve. Formative feedback is therefore critical to advancing proficiency.

Using AI Image Generators for Feedback

One solution to this problem I recently experimented with was asking my learners to use artificial intelligence (AI) image generators to create visual depictions of a new set of vocabulary. Given world language teachers' emphasis on multiple literacies, I chose to implement this lesson with a notoriously tricky set of vocab for beginning language learners: daily routine. What seems like a simple, even boring, vocab set is difficult for students learning Romance languages because it introduces reflexive pronouns.

Typically, once words using the reflexive pronoun are introduced, learners tend toward one of two errors: They either forget the reflexive pronoun that precedes the verb, thus changing the meaning, or they hypercorrect, adding the reflexive pronoun to verbs that they already know and that don't demand the use of the pronoun. Normally, it takes dedicated practice and intense teacher correction to overcome this challenge, and I was curious to see if AI could help me maintain my learner-centered environment by providing feedback.

To begin, I provided my learners with three basic pieces of information: a theme for the new vocabulary (daily routine); a list of 12-14 basic verbs in the first-person singular; and a goal: using Adobe Firefly to create a set of images that demonstrate the meaning of each expression.

Additionally, I imposed two constraints. The first was that they were required to change the language in Adobe to the target language, in our case French. Many of my learners are familiar with Adobe products, so using the software in French helped to create an immersive experience and to familiarize them with a secondary set of tech and design vocabulary that they wouldn't have otherwise encountered. As an additional constraint for this exercise, they were not permitted to use outside resources such as dictionaries or translation services.

Prompt Crafting as a Vehicle for Expanding Language

With those constraints in place, they were turned loose to create and learn. And here's where the magic began. To start, my learners were excited because this exercise had the air of the illicit; many of the students' teachers in other subjects had come down hard against the use of AI, and so being asked to use it in school struck them as rebellious. They were certainly more excited about daily routine vocabulary than I'd ever seen them. They quickly started to realize that my basic prompts, provided exclusively in the first-person singular, were not sufficiently precise to generate an image.

As a result, it took only about five minutes for them to start asking one another and me how to form the third person. So, for example, they naturally moved beyond the provided prompt of " Je me brosse les dents" ("I brush my teeth") to " Elle se brosse les dents" ("She brushes her teeth") or " Il se brosse les dents " ("He brushes his teeth"). For some learners, this progressed to asking how to use the third-person plural, thus further expanding their range of vocabulary.

" Il se brosse les dents," however, universally gave rise to another challenge, because with zero exceptions, Adobe took this prompt and generated an image of a toothbrush standing on end in a river valley, surrounded by mountains. First of all, this added an unexpected element of playfulness to the assignment. Every learner knew instantly what the sentence meant but was presented with the new challenge of refining the prompt so that it yielded an image of someone brushing their teeth.

Consequently, they were able to work collaboratively to come up with a phrase in the target language, " Il se brosse les dents dans la salle de bains " ("He brushes his teeth in the bathroom"), that accurately generated an appropriate image.

Similarly, another learner attempted to change the mountains to a yard, using the prompt " dans le cour." The misgendering of " cour," which should use the feminine article " la," led to the incorporation of hearts in the mountain valley. Initially the student chalked this up to a quirk in AI, but we ultimately decided that AI chose to read " cour" as a misspelling of " coeur " ("heart") and ignore the incorrect use of gender.
AI-generated image created with Adobe Firefly
AI-generated images also provided an interesting opportunity to highlight to learners the importance of using the reflexive pronoun. When students prompted Firefly to create an image of a man shaving (" Il se rase ") but omitted the reflexive pronoun, they were confronted with an image of men at a construction site in front of a pile of rubble. The feedback was instantaneous; faced with an image they didn't expect, they asked questions, checked their spelling, and accurately revised their prompt.

Both of these scenarios highlight the importance of letting students bridge the gap between what they know and what they don't yet know. Given the context of "daily routine" for our vocabulary set, the toothbrush set in a mountain valley created just enough dissonance that students knew the image was incorrect but simultaneously had an idea of the path forward; they could ask the right questions that allowed them to build new knowledge focused on location: How do we identify the spaces in which we carry out our morning routine? Their omission of the reflexive pronoun created a similar dissonance and reinforced a different concept: the importance of reflexive pronouns in French.

Educators are, perhaps rightfully so, cautious about incorporating AI in their classrooms. With thoughtful implementation, however, AI image generators, with their ability to use any language, can provide powerful ways for students to engage with the target language and increase their proficiency.

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Enhancing World Language Instruction With AI Image Generators

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By crafting an AI prompt in the target language to create an image, students can get immediate feedback on their communication skills.

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This article discusses the use of "clients" in place of "students" and the dangers it poses.  First, it talks about how the word “client” denies the ownership of learning by the student him/herself.  Rather, when the word “client” is used, teachers simply provide good service for their customer satisfaction. Second, it points out how the role of parents and guardians is ignored when the word “client” is used.  Despite the families’ extended contributions for their offsprings’ academic success, when the word “client” is used, it diminishes the parents to simply payers of the tuition.  Third, the same applies to the teachers.  Teachers turn into mere “service providers” regardless of how much wisdom, mentorship and guidance they devote to their students.

While reading this article written nearly 5 years ago, I felt that because of the spread of cram schools (juku), some students who come into my school have difficult shifting their client-like attitudes at the beginning of the school year.  Most of them do eventually understand that teachers are teachers and not service providers to prepare them for a college admission.  Yet, we cannot deny the trend is getting stronger and stronger year after year.

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"Students" not "clients": A call to change our terminology

By Juan-Camilo Tamayo, introduction by Nunana Nyomi
I find it endlessly fascinating how language and terminology evolve and adapt. We sometimes shy away from using certain terms, perhaps because they are too confronting, as suggested by Laurie Tarsharksi in her recent post, Three ways your words can make students safer. Older generations regularly witness younger generations taking existing words and loading them with entirely new meanings. In business, we sometimes adapt existing terms for strategic or marketing purposes. In this post, Juan-Camilo Tamayo discusses the emerging use of the term "clients" by some of the admissions and counselling community in the place of "students" and "families". Juan-Camilo is a CIS Affiliated Consultant and independent college counsellor. We've republished his post here for CIS members as we ponder how terms evolve and how their meaning can have positive or negative impacts, on both personal and professional levels.
There is a conversation of great importance that is not taking place in the higher education community today. The missing dialogue concerns the label "clients," a term we have borrowed from the corporate world and have affixed to college applicants, their families and those currently enrolled in universities. Without much resistance, our community has quickly grown accustomed to using this word in place of "students," thereby appropriating the language of consumerism for the educational sphere. When faced with arguments in favor of this relatively new change in lexicon, however well-intentioned they may be, we should be highly critical. The term "client" negates the dignity and true essence of the roles of each person who comprises the educational community: educator, consultant, administrator, parent and student alike. It is imperative to the integrity of the entire community that we don't passively acquiesce to using the word "client," but instead that we actively resist this misuse of language by restoring the words "student" and "family" to our lexicon.

The word "client" used in reference to students and their families came into vogue during the 1990s. The broad rationale was that since students and their families are paying for education either directly or indirectly through taxes, or both, they are customers; consequently, educators and administrators should be viewed as providers. In this framework, education becomes a simple market equation. It replicates a business model in which customer or "client" satisfaction is key. Those in favor of this consumerist model argue that it is exactly the way education requiring any form of payment or tuition ought to be; a person is presumably purchasing knowledge, skills and ultimately degrees or other accreditations from providers, i.e. educators and the institutions with which they are affiliated; therefore, the success of this transaction can be determined by evaluating the satisfaction of the purchaser, i.e. client or customer. Ultimately, the question is simple: Do we believe that subjective gratification as reported by students is the marker by which we should judge educators, educational institutions and those tasked with running them? Or do we trust that there are higher principles guiding education than, say, a "five-star" rating on a college freshman's instructor evaluation?

Photo from the CIS University Fair Geneva 2019

The education-as-business construct, and the language that has followed, is negated by the wisdom of millennia of educators who precede it. One such educator was John Dewey, who wrote in his book, Experience and Education (1938):

There is, I think, no point in the philosophy of progressive education which is sounder than its emphasis upon the importance of the participation of the learner in the formation of the purposes which direct his activities in the learning process, just as there is no defect in traditional education greater than its failure to secure the active cooperation of the pupil in construction of the purposes involved in his studying.

The word "client" does not convey the humanity, effort and growth that define students-the very centerpieces of Dewey's conception of progressive education. Unlike a "client," a "student" is responsible for earning his or her education. This truth applies not only in the classroom, but also when students and college applicants seek guidance and tutelage from private counselors, advisers, tutors, and educational consultants. These professionals facilitate learning by helping students hone the skills, ideas and strategies needed to produce effective college applications and improved academic performance. They do not provide a "client" with a good or quantifiable service, such as a handing them a pre-written or plagiarized college application essay or negotiating with a high school students' biology teacher for a higher grade.

Parents and other guardians play a crucial role in students' education. They often finance tuition and other college costs, which are undeniably significant; higher education can be a sizeable and burdensome expense to the family budget. However, most families' contributions extend way beyond finances. Parents and other caregivers instill the essential values that allow students to thrive academically: motivation, dedication, self-respect, intellectual curiosity, creativity and perseverance. They often make sacrifices of time, talents and resources to support their children in developing academic and other talents and exposing them to educational opportunities that extend far outside of the classroom. To lump students' families under the umbrella of "clients" is to ignore all of the devotion, character building and at-home learning that has empowered children as learners and thinkers. Labeling families as "clients" transforms the family members solely into payers-writers of checks-in the educational equation. It ignores the wealth that lies in the nurturing, advising and other formative experiences that they have bestowed upon their student family member. While the financial expenses of education are very real, the non-financial means of family support for students should never be diminished, let alone ignored. Students' caregivers can, and often do, serve as the bedrock upon which students' academic successes rest.

Calling students "clients" demeans not only students and their families, but educators as well. The use of the term "clients" in reference to students implies that educators are merely "service providers," which obscures the quality and value of the education they impart to students. Were doctors required to refer to their patients instead as "clients," both medical practitioners and patients would feel misunderstood and demeaned-and rightfully so. Just as doctors would surely resist this alteration of the traditional language within their occupation, educators should reflect upon the detriment of the term "client" in place of "student" in their professional sphere. The word "client" is unclear and misleading in an educator-student relationship, because it ignores the mutual respect, effort and collaboration that defines the partnership between the two.

Education is not a simple consumer exchange; educators do not offer a specific good or quantifiable service in exchange for money, nor can a true education be bought. Educators share wisdom, mentorship and guidance, essential tools that students use to develop skills, grow and explore as they venture through their education. The use of the terms "students" and "families" in place of "clients" conveys due respect and appreciation for all parties involved in an educational context. Therefore, it is essential that we restore this commonsense terminology to the entire field of education. Using proper language will promote a deeper sense of responsibility and engagement in students regarding their own education. In addition, this seemingly semantic change will bring into focus educators' commitment to leadership, mentorship and instruction as opposed to misrepresenting them as providers in a service industry-a realm that education is not, and ought never become.

Any thriving educational institution is founded upon respect for educators, administrators, students and staff, the institution's history and traditions, and the community it serves. For all members of the educational community, naming students and their families what they truly are is essential to cultivating the dignified, mutual relationships through which all meaningful educational experiences can flourish.
Is there a hot topic in the higher education admissions community that you'd like to write about on the CIS Perspectives blog? Are you seeing trends emerging that you would like to share with your university counsellor colleagues in the international school community? Contact info@cois.org; we'd love to hear from you.

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"Students" not "clients": A call to change our terminology

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In business, we sometimes adapt existing terms for strategic or marketing purposes. In this post, Juan-Camilo Tamayo discusses the emerging use of the term "clients" by some of the admissions and counselling community in the place of "students" and "families".

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When reading this article, I recalled the volunteer work I used to do when I lived in the US. Children from other countries who had immigrated to the US with their families and were attending public elementary schools were struggling in classes conducted entirely in English. So, language support volunteers went into the classroom to assist them.

However, there are also demerits to having language support, such as the lesson progressing while receiving support, not being able to learn at one's own pace, and so on. With Google, learners can receive support at their own pace even without such language support. They can search for information when they want to, gather information they truly need, and search for background knowledge. Even students in the IB program at my local high school, who have all come from nearby public middle schools and have never taken classes in English, may feel the language barrier. While practicing and preparing to use such technology may take time, once mastered, it greatly improves students' learning environment. As society becomes increasingly accustomed to using technology to communicate with speakers of different languages, I think students should gain experience in overcoming language barriers by effectively utilizing technology from an early age.

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This article really resonated with me in that it reinforces the many ways that writing is essential even in (especially in) subjects like Math, the Sciences, History etc. Terada explores how Writing, from creative writing to free style wanderings to structured note taking in response to a subject can enhance a students understanding and retention of a subject.

I think this is particularly interesting in Japan… this approach may be helpful to students in Middle/High School Math, Science, and tech courses. Using writing to reinforce understanding of a subject and then using it to explore and add creativity within a topic could encourage students to learn outside of the strict ‘box style’ curriculum many Japanese schools are based on.

-Mara

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How to use Translanguaging in the Classroom

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How to use Translanguaging in the Classroom

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This video helped me understand how family and culture tie into PYP/ Who We Are. The stories that people tell inadvertently expose what they value and cherish. I can see how translanguaging is promoted by the IB as it reinforces cultural narratives and perspectives. Additionally, it puts an emphasis on psychological well-being and the impact family/ environment has on one's development.
The story telling activity reminded me of a session I attended about Creative Confidence and Design Thinking. By using story telling to describe a personal experience, an authentic problem can become more relatable and understandable in an empathetic design process.
I'd like to try a simplified version of the family story activity with my younger students. The examples in the video are of Spanish speakers and Spanglish, but surely lots can be done with Japanese language and the borrowed (English) words commonly used in Katakana or Japanglish.

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How to use Translanguaging in the Classroom

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Translanguaging: Teacher's Role in the Classroom

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Translanguaging: Teacher's Role in the Classroom

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I liked the quote by Steven Krashen and how the video explained Translanguaging as "natural communication." From my experience as an English teacher, "English only" has been commonly stressed. Logically, English only in an English classroom makes sense. Though, as I gained experience teaching, I realized that it's more important to let the learners say what they can and encourage speaking no matter what. Constantly correcting mistakes or saying things like "Don't speak Japanese./No Japanese/English only" is limiting and can negatively impact the learner's confidence or reduce their willingness to speak-- especially in Early Years or beginners of the language. It's essentially one way of telling students not to speak or use their voice simply because of their limited vocabulary or grammar abilities in a specific language. This can be a stressor that causes students to disengage or feel excluded from conversation.

And, at least at the schools I've taught at in Japan, English teachers are often discouraged or forbidden from using language that is outside of the language of instruction. I think this can put a hinder on the relationship students can build with their teachers and peers.  Although it is important to avoid creating an environment where students stop trying to speak in the language being studied, I don't think having the teacher hide their linguistic abilities is a good model for students. It should be celebrated and could even used as a tool/ another source of learning. It seems that Translanguaging can create opportunities for that.

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Translanguaging: Teacher's Role in the Classroom

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6 Ways to Merge Literacy With Mathematics

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6 Ways to Merge Literacy With Mathematics

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This article describes 6 ways to integrate language and mathematics.

From the 6 ways they are recommending, I would say that the key elements in merging literacy and mathematics are "connection" "identify"and "collaboration".

This finding can possibly apply to any other subjects. Literacy is a core part of deep thinking and has its honorable role.

I think this article gives us a clue in how to make the learning transdisciplinary.

-Asuka

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6 Ways to Merge Literacy With Mathematics

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When teachers find creative ways to integrate reading and writing with math curricula, it humanizes the subject matter and allows kids to process unfamiliar material linguistically.

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Language and learning in IB programmes (PDF)

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Language and learning in IB programmes (PDF)

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This is a document that describes all aspects of language in IB programmes.

In IB, the role of language is "valued as central to developing critical thinking,
which is essential for the cultivation of intercultural awareness, international-mindedness and global
citizenship."
Therefore, language is also taken as the essential part of the program to achieve the IB mission statement.

They cherish and celebrate the languages in classrooms, and believe that deeper learning is possible through multilingualism/ translanguage.
To understand the detail, this document is very efficient to read through.

I wonder the situation of the multilingualism/ translanguage in state/national IB schools with monolingual culture, for example in Japan.

-Asuka

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This kind of article reminds me of when I worked in an English immersion preschool in Japan.
I encouraged the children to speak in English all the time and did not allow them to speak in mixed languages because I was told that I have to teach "correct and beautiful English". At the time, I thought this was one of the best ways to teach English.

However, a few years later I found myself working with people who speak in translanguages.
I was able to communicate with them and felt that they are expressing themselves in their own way. This experience made me wonder "What is a correct and beautiful language? What do we need for good communication?"
I didn't know the concept of translanguaging at the time, but if I had, the way I taught English to my children and the way I communicated with my colleagues would have been very different.

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Language and language learning in IB programmes

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A place to share resources related to language

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https://ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/language-acquisition/language-ab-initio-sl/

The link provided is to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) website, specifically to the page that details the language acquisition curriculum for the Language ab initio course at the Standard Level (SL) within the Diploma Programme (DP).

The Language ab initio course is designed for students who have little or no prior experience in the language being studied. The course aims to develop the students' ability to communicate effectively in the language and to understand and appreciate the culture of the communities where the language is spoken.

An overview of the course is provided, including its objectives, assessment components, and syllabus. It outlines the key topics and themes covered in the curriculum, such as communication, social relationships, leisure and entertainment, travel, and education. It also highlights the language skills that students will develop, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Regarding the assessment criteria used for the Language ab initio courses, there are 4 main criteria that are assessed; language, communication, cultural understanding, and message. These criteria are used to assess students' performance in both internal and external assessments, including oral and written tasks.

Additionally, the webpage includes resources for teachers, such as subject guides, assessment exemplars, and professional development opportunities. It also emphasizes the importance of promoting intercultural understanding and encourages teachers to use a variety of authentic materials and teaching strategies to engage students in meaningful language learning experiences.

I found this very interesting as it hits a personal spot for me. I studied Japanese at university ab initio, and was also assessed in a very similar way. On top of the resources provided for teachers, having the opportunity to have teachers who themselves have experienced the ab initio language learning process could provide students with a strong foundation when it comes to their language learning.

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4 Practical Ways to Make Instruction Accessible for Multilingual Learners

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4 Practical Ways to Make Instruction Accessible for Multilingual Learners

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As a Japanese and English (and soon French) language teacher myself who works with multilingual learners in my classroom this article drew my attention.

The article highlights the importance of designing instruction that is accessible to English learners, or multilingual learners. As well as recognizing the value of the  linguistic, academic, and cultural assets that multilingual learners bring.

There are four suggested methods that make instruction accessible to English language learners. These are:
1. Infuse instruction with peer-to-peer discussion and exploration.
2. Offer adapted or engineered texts when reading materials are dense.
3. Provide daily opportunities for written expression in all content areas with the use of scaffolds and accommodations.
4. Utilize classroom resources.

I believe that giving learners the opportunity to use their mother tongue for research or consolidating their ideas and then using that information as base for their discussion in English is very useful. Not only does it allow them to complete the task in a timely matter, they are improving their first language as well as their second language.

One of my favorite websites for adapted or engineered texts is newsela.com. You can find articles which are produced in different lexile levels. This allows for differentiation and scaffolding in the classroom, as students can study essentially the same content but at their level.

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Although I am taking the MYP specialization, I do hope to teach the Language Acquisition course in the DP in the future. This webpage gives an overview to the types of languages taught, the course options and the level of those course.

The language ab initio course (beginner) is only taught at standard level and covers 20 topics across five themes which are identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization and sharing the planet. These remind me of the MYP global contexts or the PYP transdisciplinary themes.

Language B is taught at both the standard level and high level with the biggest difference being the number of instructional hours and the level of competency the students are expected to develop. Students taking the high level course must study two literary works. This would be similar to taking Japanese continuers and extension in the Australian curriculum, however still more advanced.

Classical languages are also offered in Greek and Latin. These can be studied at a standard level or an advanced level. The study of classical languages "trains the mind  develops skills of critical thought, memory and close analysis, as well as an appreciation of the beauty and power of these languages and the cultures that produced them."

During my teaching practicum I worked at a private girls school that offered both the Australian curriculum in Japanese and the IB curriculum for Japanese. These were taught separately from each other and students chose which one they would take. What I noticed when accompanying the IB teacher was that the students in this class were more advanced compared to their peers taking the Australian curriculum that had started their Japanese learning journey at the same time. I think this came down to a few things. First, the teaching style, topics covered and constant questioning. Second, the amount of content that needs to be covered. Third, the emphasis on acquisition of the language rather than studying a language.

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The importance of mother tongue in education

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The importance of mother tongue in education

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Mother tongue is very important, but it is indeed the first time I heard about "skills learnt in mother tongue could also be transferred into the language learning approach,".I have a question: in international schools, how can we ensure that both the first language (mother tongue) and the second language can be effectively promoted? regardless of the limitation of resources and so on? In many IB schools, the native language teaching level is not as good as that of local public schools, and the second language (English) is not as good as that of students in English-speaking countries. It is in a quite embarrassed situation.

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Language is a communication tool, which I totally agree with. In China, decades ago, the learning of English as a foreign language always emphasized listening and reading, but largely ignored speaking and writing. As a result, learners who only communicate in one-way (without feedback) are cultivated, and it is difficult for them to truly achieving the level of comfortable communication. In addition, I also believe that language learning should not only focus on a certain aspect. There should be no shortcomings and obvious weaknesses in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This is the only way to succeed in language learning.

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I could easily relate with the example about the two students who are native Spanish speakers but at the same time, are very strong in English and often use it as their main language, working intently on a handout. My co-teachers who are Filipino native speakers mainly use English when working on an activity that we need to accomplish during our meetings with the Osaka City Board of Education. When there are no other foreigners in our group though, we use the Filipino language simultaneously with English and we call this Taglish (Tagalog which is a term interchangeably used with the Filipino language PLUS English).

Little did I know that I was already doing Translanguaging. And in this article, it is described this way:

Translanguaging is about communication, not about language itself.

I think that the article was so brilliant to emphasize that there are times we need to be language teachers, focusing on the accuracy of the language we teach. Other times, we work with students to explore concepts, add to their knowledge, make connections between ideas and to help them make their voices heard.

With that being said, I hope that translanguaging will be more widespread. Its benefits are undeniably helpful to create a world where people can utilize all their linguistic resources to communicate and understand each other.

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Five Ways that Your School Can Support Mother Tongue Languages

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Five Ways that Your School Can Support Mother Tongue Languages

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Another really interesting read from this week's set of articles. I think part of what drew me to reading this article is basically  my own need to reflect on my own experiences as a student with a different mother tongue in a school setting that was actively trying to prioritize ESL learning. I completely agree on the first point that the article was making, fostering a positive relationship with one's mother tongue can encourage fostering positive use of this language beyond a formal classroom setting. I also really liked the third point of the article, in which the author suggests bringing in each student's language into the discussion when learning English. The author made an example of including the ways that pronouns are discussed within a particular student's mother tongue while having a discussion about pronouns in English. It's interesting that I can actually emotionally place myself in the perspective of the student in this scenario. I would feel so proud and validated having my language brought into a classroom discussion! Especially if I'm a student whose language might not be spoken by many in the classroom, or even the entire school.

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Incorporating Students' Native Languages in their Learning

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Incorporating Students' Native Languages in their Learning

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Such a fascinating read! It's refreshing for me to read an article that pinpoints to one particular rule that my middle school briefly had: we had to speak English to each other during recess and lunch time to avoid getting deductions to our English grade. At the time, I didn't really question it much because I was very obedient. Now, I am able to see why this practice was absolutely, as this article says, "destructive". There are certainly ways that my English teacher could've encouraged us to learn English without penalizing the use of our mother tongue, Indonesian. First, this isn't very practical in the long term and second, it pedestalizes English (and therefore, the culture of the Western world) above Indonesian culture. I certainly liked the idea that the author says on the first tip, called Mastering Content. In the article, Thai students who were learning about events inside Thailand were permitted to use Thai-language articles as primary sources. I like this because it gives the Thai language and culture just as much credibility as the students should give towards English.

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When I read the part, "We can see the effects of a lack of communication skills by observing what happens when arriving in another country with a different spoken language," I remember vividly the first time I set foot on the land of the rising sun, the beautiful country of Japan. The staff at Kansai International airport (KIX) were really approachable and helpful. I witnessed how true the renowned Japanese service was. Everything went smoothly. Nonetheless, I was still so grateful for the 30-hour Japanese language lessons I had in the Philippines before my arrival. When I got out of the airport, the survival expressions were really useful and I believed that Japanese people also appreciated the effort of you using their language, not giving them a hard time to sort things out, especially when asking for directions. Indeed, language is such a useful tool to connect to people and to even do simple tasks.

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Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Languages

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Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Languages

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What I found most interesting about this article was the distinction the writer made between presence and inclusion. While people of diverse backgrounds may be present, that does not mean they are actually included. This is especially important in language classes where students of various ability levels in the target language are expected to do similar tasks or understand in the same way.
This is often a problem for me in my homeroom. I don't speak enough Japanese for it to be functional and some of my students don't speak a functional amount of English, so then they are often excluded if I am speaking. Using other students to translate, to critique each other's translations, to discuss and come to consensus is often helpful, which I suppose is a kind of translanguaging... but I do wonder how included my students feel. I often feel excluded from conversations when things are being translated only every now and then for me in meetings etc. How might this feeling of exclusion affect their feelings about themselves, about English and their general ability to learn?

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4 Practical Ways to Make Instruction Accessible to Multilingual Learners

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4 Practical Ways to Make Instruction Accessible to Multilingual Learners

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The idea that struck me most in this article was the need for teachers to 'recognize the linguistic, academic and cultural assets learners bring'. I think something I have been taught is that immersion is really good for language learning, but as I read more of the resources for this module, I realize that there are ways to use multiple languages that are actually really beneficial.
I frequently allow my students to try to work out meaning together in Japanese after I've given instructions or when they are discussing a difficult topic. In those moments I always guiltily hope nobody from management walks by. But I think seeing the children's ability to work translingually as an asset is a much healthier stance for a language teacher to take.

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According to this article, implementing translanguaging in a classroom requires careful planning and intention. I realized while reading this article that I already use some translanguaging strategies in my classrooms (i.e. I tell students that they can research information in any language and later need to write about this research in English), but I can improve in how I plan for translanguaging.

It seems planning for translanguaging makes a difference in how students develop literacy in multiple languages. The strategies that I currently use help students to process information in their own language, but they still must ultimately practice a target language. Researching in a language other than English is more of a tool than a target. Translanguaging, on the other hand, would challenge students to practice skills such as inferences, research, and so on in both English and their own language. Activities such as translation, on the other hand, would encourage students to consider the strategies they apply when translating and how two language differ.

I think no matter where I work in the future, I will have multilingual classrooms. In Japan and the US, classrooms already have multilingual students. I hope that during this school year, I can begin practicing translanguaging more intentionally so that students can fully benefit from using multiple languages as a means of learning. I also want to find more examples of how this practice works in classrooms, especially state school classrooms. Schools in the US have a mixed relationship with languages other than English in the classroom--sometimes multilingualism is embraced and sometimes it's criticized. I want to know how I can convince someone who is skeptical of the benefits of including multiple languages in a classroom.

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This blog post discussed how some higher education institutions refer to students and their families as 'clients' because they pay for the services of education. Ultimately, the author of this post argues that to label students and their families as 'clients,' and by extension to make teachers and other school staff members 'service providers,' is not only demeaning but also misses the point of education. When education uses the language of business, education becomes transactional, but the focus of education is personal growth and the building of skills, not simply purchasing a diploma.

This post and the argument of what to call students reminds me of the book "The Bridge to Brilliance," by Principal Nadia Lopez. She started a middle school in 2010 in one of New York's poorest neighborhoods, and one of the first decisions she made about the school was what to call he students. She decided on the term 'scholars' because it could apply to students of any gender and suggested a personal dedication to learning.

Personally, I think what we call our students and members of a school community is so important because labels often communicate expectations. Referring back to the 'clients' label, serving a client implies that a service provider (teacher) should do whatever must be done to satisfy their client. However, satisfaction's definition depends on the student and not everything in education is satisfying. When I was a student, a C grade in math was enough for me because it meant I passed the class and didn't have to take it anymore. For another student who might be aiming for a competitive college, that grade might be unacceptable. Is it then the teacher's responsibility to fix that grade since they are the service provider in this relationship?

Whatever we choose to call our students, it needs to be intentional and mindful of the implications. Principal Lopez considered other labels ('King' and 'Queen') before settling on 'scholars,' and I think her consideration of what she wanted students to internalize through that label was the most important part of the process.

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Incorporating Students’ Native Languages to Enhance Their Learning

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Incorporating Students’ Native Languages to Enhance Their Learning

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What considerations should a teacher make when there are diverse students in a class and their languages are different?

It is good for the teacher to be familiar with more foreign languages, but it is impossible to be familiar with all students' languages.

I have seen several classes using the concept of translanguages The children, I think they were about 6 to 9 years old, were explaining themselves how to say a word or expression in a certain language in their native language. Since the child was the only one in the class who knew the language, the student was very careful and thoughtful in trying to be more accurate.

One, there was only one Japanese girl in the class. It was obvious that that girl was also trying to explain as accurately as possible, thinking that everyone would believe what she said. In this situation, she was in the position of the teacher.

For the students, introducing their own language in front of the whole class could help them build up their self-esteem. It was very impressive to see the students' embarrassed and proud faces after the presentation.

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English Language Learners

Teachers don't have to speak students' first languages to make room for these languages in middle and high school classrooms.

I loved my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Phillips. I will always remember how safe and welcomed she made me feel. I would watch her give instructions in English, not understanding a word of it, and I would copy what my classmates did. When Mrs. Phillips came over, I would speak unabashedly to her in Vietnamese. She would pay careful attention to my gestures to decipher my message and praise me with a smile in celebration of my work.

You do not need to speak the same language to feel someone's love. I also don't remember her yelling at me to speak English. What would be the use of finger waving and saying, "Speak English!" when Vietnamese was the only language I knew at the time?

As we embrace culturally responsive and culturally sustaining pedagogies, we are abandoning destructive English-only policies. Unfortunately, English-first policies often place other languages last-and, by extension, the cultures represented by non-English languages.

What messages are multilingual learners (MLs) internalizing when the only sanctioned language they hear in schools is English? With an additive approach to language, MLs can learn another language without having to subtract their existing ones.

3 Ways Multilingualism Helps Students Learn

1. Mastering content. I used to think that students had to learn content in English. However, a concept like tectonic plates remains the same regardless of the language. Now when I have my students complete a research project, I make sure to tell them that using an article or video in another language is absolutely appropriate.

When my 10th graders were learning about how Covid-19 impacted the Thai economy, many of them used articles written in Thai, as they provided more nuanced and relevant details. In this way, we celebrated the students' multilingualism and dissolved the language hierarchy myth by showing students that content does not have to be learned in only one language.

2. Collaborating. Learning content by reading articles in students' languages works for students who are literate in other languages. For students who can only speak and understand their heritage language, learning content is still possible while collaborating with classmates who speak the same languages.

For example, when I had my students read an article in English about land subsidence, I had them pause at the end of each paragraph to talk about and process what they had just read. For many of my students, it was easier to understand the article when they talked about it in their Chinese, Thai, or Korean peer groups. Since learning is a social experience, let's have students learn using all of their languages.

3. Communicating ideas. Often, MLs have ideas swirling in their minds but struggle to formulate them in English. To support these students, we can have them first brainstorm, organize, and outline in their heritage languages. Forcing students to write or speak only in English is like putting speed bumps in their way. The goal is to have idea generation and to connect concepts at this stage, not English output. Once they have all of their ideas organized using their languages, we can support students to transfer these ideas into English.

With these three approaches to heritage language integration, we see that teachers do not have to know all of the languages their students speak. All teachers need to do is see students' multilingualism as an asset that extends learning and sustains students' connections to their communities. As MLs engage more through their languages, our eyes are opened to their potential.

Yes, many of us work in places that require English output on summatives, and state assessments are also in English. However, this does not mean that everything we do as teachers has to be monolingual. Think of languages as tools. If we only have a hammer, there's a limit to what we can construct. When we are free to use all of the linguistic tools from our toolbox, imagine all of the things that we can create.

Lastly, even if we cannot speak our students' languages, by welcoming them to use those languages we create a space where assets and cultures are recognized and honored. Years from now, when MLs may have forgotten what we've taught, they will still recall with affection how we made them feel. Start with embracing all languages in class.

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Incorporating Students' Native Languages to Enhance Their Learning

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Teachers don't have to speak students' first languages to make room for these languages in middle and high school classrooms.

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It seems to be a recent trend in American language teaching to exaggerate the use of the target language. However, it can seem somewhat arrogant for teachers to simply impose a target language without understanding other languages.

Although the CEFR has been around for 20 years, it was only a few years ago that I began to understand its contents in depth, and it was then that I began to study translanguaging as well.

It used to be emphasized that translation is inappropriate in language classes in the US. I sometimes heard instructors criticize it in workshops. Therefore, there was a time when I believed that way for a while.

But is translation really a bad thing?

However, in our society, mediating communication with each other in different languages is a very normal part of everyday life.

The CEFR defines such interactions as communicative language activity skills.

Since I began to consciously use the concepts of prulilingual approach and translanguaging in my teaching, I have made many discoveries.

By connecting each student's native or mother tongue to the language they are learning, and then translating that to the class as a whole, not just to that individual, I am able to see the bigger picture of not only the language they are learning, but also their relationship to multiple languages. The topic of culture, as well as language, is better addressed, and I felt that my worldview was enriched by a larger view of the world.

I feel that the role of the teacher becomes more of a facilitator in these classes. All the languages are aligned side by side, and the positions of student and teacher are also aligned.

I would like to understand more about translanguaging deeply in the future.

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One day at recess, a distraught five-year-old approached me and proclaimed angrily, “Fulanito me tagó.” Confused, I attempted to understand her meaning: “¿Te tocó?” (“He touched you?”) She shook her head. “¿Te atacó?” (“He attacked you?”). No again, thankfully. Frustrated, the student replied, “Me t…

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Wakelet - Language and language learning in IB programmes

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Wakelet - Language and language learning in IB programmes

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This is the Wakelet to support this topic.