This year, we are reviewing our World Languages program as part of our regular curriculum review cycle. This review takes into account our strategic themes, including our commitment to Celebrate Culture and Diversity.

Earlier this year, we surveyed parents to gather information to help us develop an action plan and want to thank the parents who responded to our survey. There were several important points that were made clear by the survey data. There was a consistent desire for an improvement in the development of conversational interpersonal communication skills (speaking and listening). There was strong support for more Myanmar culture and language to be integrated into the curriculum. There was also strong interest in the provision of more opportunities for students to study their first language or ‘mother tongue.’

In partnership with an external language consultant, we have developed an action plan that we are refining in light of the survey data, student achievement data, and research. Central to our action plan are two main objectives:

• To strike an appropriate balance between listening, speaking, reading, and writing and to place a greater emphasis on our students’ interpersonal listening and speaking skills.
• To continue to develop more interactive, collaborative and communicative methods of teaching and learning.

This year, we are reviewing our current practices as we seek to strike this balance and develop our instructional practices. This is an ongoing process with an end-of-year goal of identifying what is best practice for our students and how these practices can be continually improved upon each year.

In line with our commitment to celebrate culture and diversity, our Grade 1 to 5 students will participate in one Myanmar Culture lesson per week next academic year. We will also continue to seek other opportunities in all curriculum areas throughout the school to include the culture and language of our host country. We will also be expanding our mother tongue language learning options next year as part of our After School Activities program. This will provide more of our students the opportunity to study their home language should they wish to do so.

If you are interested in learning more about language learning at ISY, please do not hesitate to contact either your child(ren)’s language teacher or our Director of Curriculum and Learning, Mr. Mike Simpson.

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