Home Language

Within our learning community, we have discovered that the term “mother tongue” does not accurately reflect the linguistic realities of all our students. Many of them grow up speaking and writing in multiple languages at home, making it difficult to identify just one as their primary language.

To better represent their experiences, we asked students to reflect on which language they feel most comfortable using. As a result, we have chosen to adopt the more inclusive term “home language,” which acknowledges the rich multilingual backgrounds within our community.

The First Language of My Heart – Academic Year 2024/2025

At International School Almere, we proudly celebrate the rich linguistic diversity within our community. Our students bring with them a vibrant tapestry of languages that reflect their unique cultural backgrounds and identities.

We believe in the power of language to build bridges, foster understanding, and affirm who we are. In honour of this diversity—and in celebration of International Mother Language Day on 21 February—we launched Multilingual Story Time, an initiative where Secondary students read to Primary students in a variety of languages.

These storytelling sessions create meaningful connections between students across age groups and highlight the beauty of multilingualism. From February to June, our campus is alive with stories told in students’ home languages, showcasing the cultural richness of our school community.

Our entrance hall has been beautifully transformed by both Primary and Secondary students into a colourful display celebrating the IB Learner Profile Attributes in multiple languages, accompanied by vibrant photos from our multilingual reading sessions. Don’t forget to stop by our growing Language Tree—each leaf represents one of the many languages spoken within our school community, creating a living tribute to the rich cultural and linguistic diversity. And finally, make sure to watch our latest video, “The first language of my heart”, a personal reflection on identity, language, and belonging.

Language Without Borders – Academic Year 2023/2024

International Mother Language Day is a UNESCO initiative that began in 2000 to honour the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in Bangladesh. Its core mission is to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used around the world while fostering unity in diversity and encouraging international understanding. This important day serves as a reminder of the value of peace, tolerance, respect, and the safeguarding of mother languages globally.

Language is the foundation of communication, and communication is what enables progress and transformation in human society. The ability—or inability—to use certain languages can open or close doors for individuals and communities across the world. Today, there is growing recognition of the vital role languages play in development, in promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, in achieving inclusive and quality education, and in preserving our shared cultural heritage.

This year, ISAlmere proudly took part in this global commemoration. Our entrance hall was beautifully decorated with quotes in various languages contributed by Secondary students and teachers, while Primary students created a vibrant collage representing their home languages. To mark the occasion, we also recorded and presented a video titled “Languages Without Borders” during our monthly Assembly.

By participating in this annual recognition, we reaffirm the essential role of language in shaping identity, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering understanding across cultures—cornerstones of the inclusive and globally minded community we strive to build at ISAlmere.

Our Linguistic Landscape

ISAlmere is proud to be home to students and staff who speak a wide variety of languages. This linguistic diversity enriches our learning environment and provides authentic opportunities for intercultural understanding—a core value of the International Baccalaureate framework.

Our school community currently includes speakers of:

IB Philosophy and Multilingualism

The International Baccalaureate places great importance on language learning and recognizes that:

• Language is central to learning and inquiry
• All teachers are language teachers
• Multilingualism fosters international-mindedness and global citizenship

Book Donation Initiative

We’re currently collecting books to support literacy in multiple languages and promote reading across our diverse community. If you have books you no longer need—in any language—consider donating them. Whether they’re in English, Spanish, Hindi, or any other home language, your contribution helps students access reading materials in their mother tongue.

Drop-off Location: ISAlmere Reception.

Spread the word in different languages:

🇺🇸 English: Donate your books today and change a life!
🇪🇸 Español: ¡Dona tus libros hoy y cambia una vida!
🇫🇷 Français: Donnez vos livres aujourd’hui et changez une vie !
🇳🇱 Nederlands: Doneer je boeken vandaag en verander een leven!
🇮🇹 Italiano: Dona i tuoi libri oggi e cambia una vita!
🇩🇪 Deutsch: Spende deine Bücher heute und verändere ein Leben!
🇮🇳 हिंदी (Hindi): आज अपनी किताबें दान करें और एक जीवन बदलें!
🇨🇳 中文 (Mandarin): 捐赠您的书籍，改变生活！

Thank you for supporting our multilingual community!

Meet Our Home Language Coordinator

Since 2009, I have been a Language Acquisition teacher at our school, and over the years, I have developed a strong interest in how students’ home languages influence their learning and behaviour. In 2020, I took on the role of Home Language Coordinator, building on my previous experience as Language Acquisition Coordinator.

This growing curiosity led me to undertake a research-based inquiry into the vital role of the mother tongue in supporting conceptual understanding and academic development. The findings reinforced the pedagogical importance of multilingualism as a cornerstone of our learning environment.

Over the last two years, we have focused on actively celebrating the linguistic diversity within our school community. This has included showcasing the variety of home languages spoken by our students and staff, and placing greater emphasis on the importance of maintaining and valuing one’s home language. Our aim has been to help students see their languages not only as part of their identity, but also as powerful tools for learning.

Curious to know more about Home Language in ISAlmere? Kindly send a message to f.giri@isalmere.nl.

Warmest regards,

Ms. F. Giri-de Paz Smit