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importantly, they need to know that there are valuable ways
About the author
they can contribute and help others in need. For example, Arabic-speaking students might volunteer to tutor Syrian refugees, a group of techy-teens can create an online awareness campaign for a charity and younger students can organise the collection of supplies for victims of a flood. No matter what age students are, they can be taught how to mobilise their skills and resources to take action on real world issues. This is the true value of education. The global citizens we teach live in a radically different world
Alison Schofield is an educator and co-founder of the Centre
to the one we grew up in. What’s clear is that our teaching
for Educators of Bilingual and Multilingual Learners, a
needs to speak to the complexities of who our students are and
global teacher-training institute based in the UK. She is also
the skills they need to thrive in a global society. Encouraging
the author of ‘Bilingual and Multilingual Learners from the
perspectives from all students will enrich the learning
Inside-Out: Elevating Expertise in Classrooms and Beyond.’
environment and helping them learn how to recognise and
She is originally from Canada and has taught internationally.
harness their own skills and talents will allow them to find unique ways of contributing.
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