How multilingual is my school Q&A by Tharwat Abed El Sater https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp - en-us 2018-08-31 05:14:16 UTC 2026-03-04 06:54:58 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padletuploads.blob.core.windows.net/prod/80264060/cdf38ae2d21ee13c036196e76c1eb262/Backback.png What does multilingual school mean? nnnsarifai https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810698 This is an  Inclusive  learning community .
The following indicators will help you to recognize when the school is an accommodate school:
  • Language policy has a multilingual focus 
  • Student language portraits in use 
  • Planning integrates home and additional languages as a resource 
  • Literacy in multiple languages is promoted 
  • Parents and other community members are involved in language learning 
  • Family language backgrounds inform assessment 
  • Translanguaging practices evident 
]]> 2018-08-31 05:14:16 UTC https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810698 What do we call the school who offers two languages (the language of instructions and an additional language)? nnnsarifai https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810700 This an accommodating school where School accommodates other languages recognizing their potential benefits.

The following indicators will help you to recognize when the school is an accommodate school:

  • Home language use is endorsed 
  • Classroom language is the priority 
  • Home language and culture celebrated 
  • Additional and home language programmes available 
  • Support for students new to the language of instruction 
  • Some translations available 
  • Students encouraged to use home languages with friends
]]> 2018-08-31 05:14:16 UTC https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810700 What does monolingual school mean? nnnsarifai https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810701  A school  is Monolingual when it expected to comply with majority language norms.
The following indicators will help you to recognize when the school is Monolingual :
  • “Language of school only” policy 
  • Students with same language are separated 
  • Displays only in language of the school 
  • No additional language or home language programmes 
  • Home languages rarely acknowledged 
  • Students may be reprimanded for using home languages 

]]> 2018-08-31 05:14:16 UTC https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276810701 Does the PYP Programme support the idea or require a school to work towards multilingualism? nnnsarifai https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276812861 The new S&P programme highlights the need of one more language in order to foster intercultural understanding through communicating  in a variety of ways.
You can refer to the section in the S&P programme  "Culture through policy implementation (0301)" under the following practice:
  • The school implements, communicates and regularly reviews a language policy that helps to foster intercultural understanding through communicating in a variety of ways in more than one language (0301-04)
  •  The school implements and reviews a language policy that is aligned with IB language policy guidelines. (0301-04-0100) 
  • The school describes in its language policy the way that the school recognizes multilingualism as a fact, a right and a resource for learning. (0301-04-0200) 
  • The school identifies in its language policy a variety of physical and virtual resources used to facilitate language development. (0301-04-0300) 
  • The school clearly describes in its language policy the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community and what constitutes good practice within the school context. (0301-04-0400) 
]]> 2018-08-31 05:50:33 UTC https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276812861 What aspects we should be working on in order to make sure that our school is a multilingual school? nnnsarifai https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276814522 The school should be including in its action plan a section that contains all requirements toward being a multilingual school. This section should be divided to :
1. Environment, for example:
  • Parents are comfortable using home languages in school.  
  • Celebrations and special events include all the languages and cultures of the school. 
  • Student artwork represents the diversity of the learning community. 
  • A multilingual welcome sign is visible at the entrance of the school. 
  • A data chart about languages in school is prominent. 
  • Signs and pictures at the entrance and around the school reflect the languages and diversity of the learning community. 
  • Notices are multilingual. 
  • Student displays include pictures and languages which reflect the diversity of languages and cultures among the learning community. 
  • Name cards, table cards etc are displayed in different languages.
  • Multilingual staff and student interactions can be heard around school. 
  • Conversations about multilingual language use are a normal part of the school day 
2. Learning and teaching , for example:

  • Students can choose to use home languages for learning when appropriate.   
  • Students can choose to interact with others in home languages. 
  • Students are encouraged to use translanguaging strategies. 
  • Assessment and feedback take into account the language abilities and needs of students and families. 
  • Homework is seen as an opportunity for multilingual development
3. Resources, for example:
  •  Resources are available in many languages, such as: songs, music, poetry, rhymes
  •   Dual language books
  • Books and visuals
  •  Technology commonly used to support access to different languages
  •  Translation tools. 
  •  Multilingual alphabet and number charts. 
  • Money in different currencies for play and learning
4.  Library, for example:
  • Home language and multilingual books.   
  • Newspapers and magazines in different languages. 
  • Seen as a hub for exploring languages. 
  • The school leadership is knowledgeable about multilingualism and invested in its promotion. 
5.   School administration  and procedures , for example:
  • The school has a focus on removing barriers to multilingualism. 
  • Home language programmes are valued and are an integrated part of the language practices of the school. 
  • On arrival the language experiences of students are recorded and used to inform learning. 
  • Home language buddy system in place for newly arriving children and also for their families. 
  • Students are trained to act as language buddies. 
  • Staff languages are documented and the information shared so they can be used as a school resource. 
  • Data about the community’s languages is collected and shared with everyone. 
  • Up-to-date research in multilingualism informs decisions about inclusion for all students, and the development of all their languages. 
  • Professional development supports staff in meeting the learning and teaching needs of multilingual students. 
  • New staff inductions include training in working in a multilingual school. 
6. School documents , for example:
  • School mission and vision reflect the multilingual nature of the school community. 
  •    
  • Language policy reflects nature of multilingualism in the learning community and addresses needs of everyone (see Guidelines for school self-reflection on its language policy on the programme resource centre). 
  • School improvement attends to languages and inclusion. 
  • School records and shares information about each student’s language profile and development (for example, in the student language portrait). 
  • Efforts are made to inform parents about school events, the curriculum and their child’s progress in home languages. 
  •  Percentage   
]]> 2018-08-31 06:11:56 UTC https://padlet.com/nnnsarifai/5otk4dfea8xp/wish/276814522