This year, we will once again be hosting monthly home language storytelling sessions in the Elementary School. This means that once per month, somebody from the FIS community will read a short story aloud in their home language. Homeroom teachers will sign up their whole class, and all the students will listen to the story, even though most of them will not know the language in which the story is being read.
Did you know that our FIS community speaks over 30 languages? Last year we had stories read in German, Hungarian, Welsh, Chinese, Finnish, Spanish, Hindi and Portuguese. There was also huge participation and active story reading at our event, Unity Through Multilingualism, in July 2019.
Why are we doing this?
Our aim is to celebrate the linguistic diversity and multilingualism in the FIS community, and promote the value of languages other than English. We’d like to provide students an opportunity to engage in their home languages and promote international-mindedness among students (through being exposed to different languages and stories from other cultures). We’d like to develop a love of languages and language learning among students and bring the FIS community together. We’d like to stress the importance of maintaining your home language too!
Would you like to read a story to an Early Years or Elementary School class in your home language?
If so, please contact or . Storytelling sessions will take place typically from 15:00 – 15:30 on Tuesdays or Thursdays, but we can also be flexible if you are not available at this time.
We look forward to hearing from many members of our amazing, multilingual FIS community!
Jessica Davey
HoD EAL
Melinda Piehler
Elementary School Librarian
