By Joanna Asse Drouet, Head of Languages / French
At Alice Smith School, we are committed to creating a supportive environment where students feel proud of their home languages and are encouraged to share their linguistic knowledge with peers. Our Home Languages Programme allows us to build stronger relationships with our families and to enrich the overall experience of our students. By valuing and promoting home languages, our school builds a stronger sense of community and embraces the rich diversity that language and culture provide.
We celebrated International Mother Language Day on Friday, 21st February, enhancing the school's recognition and celebration of its linguistic and cultural diversity. In Primary, students from Year 1 to Year 6 can learn about this special celebration in their Language lessons. Some Year 6 students also shared information about International Mother Language Day during assembly.
This year, with the help of our wonderful parent volunteers, we have expanded our Home Language EPA programme. We now offer French and Mandarin Home Language EPAs for Years 2/3 and Years 4/5/6, as well as Spanish, German, and Norwegian Home Language EPAs for Years 2-6. At Secondary, we offer French and Spanish Home Language EPAs for Years 7-11.
In these EPAs, students connect with their heritage languages and cultures, forming new friendships while speaking their home languages within the community. They feel respected and empowered, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity.
Benefits of Home Language Clubs:
- Cultural Identity & Inclusion: Home language clubs help students connect with their heritage and culture, promoting a sense of belonging and inclusion.
- Language Development: Encouraging the use of home languages supports overall language development.
- Cognitive & Academic Advantages: Multilingualism has been linked to enhanced cognitive function and academic progress.
- Social & Emotional Wellbeing: Taking pride in our home languages contributes positively to social and emotional wellbeing.
- Multilingualism & Global Readiness: Home language clubs encourage multilingual development, preparing students for a globally interconnected world while nurturing respect for diverse languages and cultures.
Thank you to the parent volunteers who have enabled us to expand our programme!
Parents were invited to join us on 5th March for a workshop titled "Celebrating Home Languages: Strengthening Multilingualism Together." During this session, we introduced our Home Languages programme and discussed ways to expand it with the support of our community, including adding languages such as Japanese, Korean, and Hindi.