International Mother Language Day

On Friday February 21st, the World Language Department celebrated International Mother Language Day with the Year 7 students. This event took place in every World Language 1 classroom, offering students an engaging opportunity to explore the richness of global languages.

The students unanimously expressed their enthusiasm for the session, finding it both fun and enlightening. Through interactive activities and entertaining games, they discovered fascinating facts about languages and their speakers. One of the key takeaways for all participants was learning that our school community represents between 60 and 65 different nationalities and languages—a true source of pride for Bangkok Patana School.

Many students showed particular interest in rare or unfamiliar languages, as well as the diversity within their own classes. They were amazed to realise that in each group, at least ten different languages were spoken. This realisation fostered a deeper understanding of the importance of respecting individual identities and linguistic backgrounds while still being able to actively communicate and learn together in their shared language every day at school. As one student insightfully noted, “It makes us more aware that we are all different. Sometimes, I feel like I am not like others because I don’t speak English at home, but it isn’t true. Not all students speak English at home. I came to realise that, and it was very comforting and reassuring to me.”

Beyond linguistic awareness, the event strengthened students’ sense of belonging to our wonderfully diverse community. On average, the students reported speaking four different languages to varying degrees, and they were encouraged to see this as a valuable asset. Discussions also touched on the idea that language extends beyond spoken words—mathematics and music, for instance, are universal languages that connect people across cultures. Students particularly enjoyed singing together, demonstrating how music unites individuals regardless of their linguistic backgrounds.

Some students were surprised to learn about historical linguistic connections, such as how the Korean language has historical influences from Classical Chinese, yet modern speakers of Korean and Mandarin cannot understand each other. Similarly, they discovered that India is home to numerous dialects, including Hindi, Bangla and Punjabi, some of which are mutually intelligible while others are not.

The lesson plan incorporated a variety of engaging activities, including videos, language-based games and creative tasks. One highlight was the creation of individual linguistic passports—either a Language Profile or an Endangered Language Profile—where students documented their multilingual identities. These passports are now displayed on the walls of the World Language Department, allowing students to revisit them and take pride in their diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Overall, World Language Day was a tremendous success, reinforcing the value of linguistic diversity and cultural appreciation within our school community. We look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come!