International mother tongue language

21^st February is celebrated worldwide as the International Mother Language Day. This year saw the PYP emphasize the importance of language in a weeklong celebration from the 18^th to the 21^st of February. The celebration kicked off with an Indian Languages Fair and culminated in a grand assembly followed by a gallery walk and reflection. This celebration showcased the close collaboration with the parent community when they came in to engage their children in mother language activities as well as a collaborative effort in the language department across the PYP, MYP, Admin and Support Staff.

The Indian language fair held on the 18^th February had a range of languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Gujrati, etc. The students moved in mixed age groups to 9 different regional language and learned salutations, Tongue Twisters and some dance moves. The day was well received by the students who were open minded to engage in new experiences.

On 19^th February students were excitedly looking forward to their parents coming in for mother language activities. Innovative learning activities that encouraged the learners to listen, speak, read and write in their mother languages were done. A glimpse into the different rooms showed learners playing with balloons, eating delicious “ Khandvi” and “Motichoor laddus”, making pendants inscribed with their own names, playing games like “kaangoshti”, calligraphy of their names and making origami to decorate their work, making Kollam with rice powder and dancing to the traditional drum beats. All the groups wrote and illustrated the story- Fox and the grapes with creative use of art and craft. This was put together to make a colorful story quilt that gave a visual depiction of the national and international diversity of our community. There was an energetic buzz around the PYP block as learners experienced their own culture through food, dance, songs, stories in their mother language.

On 20^th the languages taught in the school was experienced by all the learners in the PYP. The French, German and Hindi language teachers rotated through the classes. First, they made short presentations on fun facts about the language and some basic phrases. Subsequently the learners had many differentiated activities to process the new learnings they had made during the whole week. In some classes, they made Venn diagrams, in others they had an interactive quiz, while in some they had to make posters. All these activities supported a multilingual learning and teaching approach.

Finally, on 21^st it was time to reflect. The day started with an interactive assembly where the learners responded to the quiz with sign language. They were true risk takers as they explored new ways to become communicators. The learners were humming with excitement and anticipation to find out new interesting facts about different languages. They sang Frere Jacques in four different languages. A Gallery walk to prompt reflection and discussions was a fitting end to all the learning and enjoyment of the weeklong mother language celebration.

Below are some of the reflections.

To be happy and grateful about our mother tongue.

Learnt to write my name in Gujarati.

We must respect all languages.

I wish I knew more about my mother language.

It was fun and we learnt lots of new words.

We were openminded about learning a new language.

Nervous at first but then I started enjoying it.

Wish we could celebrate mother tongue day more frequently.

Human systems and economic activities	The study of how and why people construct organizations and systems; the ways in which people connect locally and globally; the distribution of power and authority.
Social organization and culture	The study of people, communities, cultures and societies in the ways in which individuals, groups and societies interact with each other.
Continuity and change through time	The study of the relationships between people and events through time; the past, its influences on the present and its implications for the future; people who have shaped the future through their actions.
Human and natural environments	The study of the distinctive features that give a place its identity; how people adapt to and alter their environment; how people experience and represent place; the impact of natural disasters on people and the built environment.
Resources and the environment	The interaction between people and the environment; the study of how humans allocate and manage resources; the positive and negative effects of this management; the impact of scientific and technological developments on the environment.

Living things	The study of the characteristics, systems and behaviours of humans and other animals, and of plants; the interactions and relationships between and among them, and with their environment.
Earth and space	The study of planet Earth and its position in the universe, particularly its relationship with the sun; the natural phenomena and systems that shape the planet and the distinctive features that identify it; the infinite and finite resources of the planet.
Materials and matter	The study of the properties, behaviours and uses of materials, both natural and human-made; the origins of human-made materials and how they are manipulated to suit a purpose.
Forces and energy	The study of energy, its origins, storage and transfer, and the work it can do; the study of forces; the application of scientific understanding through inventions and machines. (IBO, 2009)

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