EMPOWERING STUDENTS THROUGH MULTILINGUAL LEARNING AT BIS HANOI

At BIS Hanoi, we strongly believe that having a low proficiency in English doesn’t mean that students should be unable to complete cognitive challenges in the classroom. Through the new Multilingual Learners Course, teachers at BIS Hanoi are finding ways to empower students by promoting multilingual learning within our classrooms, in turn helping students to power-up their classroom learning.

Within our school community, we are fortunate to have a variety of first languages that come alive and bubble throughout the corridors at break and lunch time. The mother tongue languages of our students form both part of their identity and part of our school’s identity, creating the inclusive community we pride ourselves on.

Our multilingual learners have the ability to identify patterns between their first language and the languages they learn at school. These students also exhibit cognitive benefits, such as problem solving skills and creativity.

At BIS Hanoi, multilingual learning doesn’t mean that students talk all day in their first language. Instead, we allow students to tap into their first language when it is necessary. Not only does this allow students to support their understanding and critical thinking, but it also affirms their cultural identity and helps students build relationships with one other.

Attending the Multilingual Learners Course in Term 1 allowed me to dedicate weekly time to reflect on my teaching and to learn new techniques to use in class.

Among the strategies used in the course, one I have found particularly effective is the use of structured listening grids (below). Listening is a difficult skill to master due to the variety of accents, unknown vocabulary, and rate of speech. However, these grids allow students to focus on key information instead of being expected to understand every single word.

The listening grids are also effective because they allow students to be in control of what they record in the box; the outcome will be different for each student according to their needs.

I can see Children’s thoughts

Reasons why Questions you would ask the children?

Another useful strategy is ‘Sequencing’. In this task, students are provided with a range of sentences or pictures which they have to try to put in order. This strategy allows students to develop their communication skills as they discuss which sentence or picture should go where, and why.

How we proactively use students’ first languages in the classroom

As a whole school teacher, I have exciting opportunities to walk through a range of classrooms and see proactive use of students' first languages in the classroom.

Mrs. Lucy Sudworth (Year 1 Teacher) has been creating a ‘language wall’, which features pictures and key words from the class story, complete with vocabulary in her student’s first language. This method has also been adopted in the Secondary school by Mrs. Joanna Shepley Clarke in her English lessons. By allowing for the use of translanguaging in our classrooms, we are educating and nurturing the whole child, instead of seeing that child as a second language learner.

Learnings from the Multilingual Learners Course course, alongside additional research, have also allowed us to employ a range of activities within lessons to support learners in their English development.

Outside the classroom, we have been able to hold more events to help students develop their English. We have enjoyed a range of assemblies, including house assemblies run by the House Captains, to promote the use of translanguaging and cultural empathy.

The Co-Curricular Activities programme also gives students the opportunity to use English as a medium to make new friends and try new activities. Meanwhile, the International Week held in 2022 allowed us to celebrate every nationality, identity, and culture within our school.

Finally, the school library contains books in a range of languages, with the Japanese books being a particular hit among the students! Events such as Book Week have even seen parent readers joining primary classes to read students a book in their first language.

As you can see, the staff at BIS Hanoi are working hard to use and trial a range of strategies, both inside and outside of their classroom, to help every student access their school day. The school is excited to graduate more staff members from the Multilingual Learners Course so that we can continue to develop ways to crosscut our student, school, and community cultures.

Lydia Finch Teacher of MFL