By Marcelo G.R, Grade 10
Among the corridors and classrooms at MIS, students speaking a variety of languages can be heard, reflecting our school’s rich international character. So how does the linguistic diversity at our school really affect interactions among students and our learning environment?
“Inclusivity is one of the most important foundations of any classroom environment,” states Ms. Krachman, a seasoned English teacher with a decade of experience under her belt. She firmly believes that fostering a sense of belonging and safety within the classroom is essential for effective learning. Her reasoning for the English-only rule in her English classroom is deeply rooted in this principle. She explains,
“I want everyone to feel like they belong and that they can actively participate. I also know from my ten years of teaching that the more you speak English, the better you become. My job is to help you become the best English speaker that I can, and, if you’re consistently speaking in English, you will improve more.”
German students at MIS, also share their experiences. One German student highlights how language has enabled them to connect with others:
“A lot of my friends are German or German-speaking, and I connected with them through being able to speak German together.” However, they state that to be friends with someone they don’t have to necessarily be German:
“That doesn’t mean I don’t have friends that aren’t German. I have a lot of friends that don’t speak German that I just speak English with.”
An English/Spanish-speaking student acknowledges that language can be both a unifying force and a potential source of exclusion:
“I feel like some of the groups at MIS are slightly divided by languages. I feel like Hispanics sometimes form groups with Hispanics, Germans with Germans, Ukrainians with Ukrainians etc. So, pretty divided. On the other hand though, I think this just provides some common ground, it doesn’t necessarily mean that if you both speak the same language, you’re automatically friends.”
This sentiment is echoed by a English/Mandarin-speaking student: “When other people speak German or Spanish, for example, since I can’t understand and feel a tiny bit excluded.” They then go on to say that “It’s not such a big deal though, If I’m really confused, I can just ask them to speak in English.”