DISCUSSION
There are a number of constraints and challenges to overcome in order to implement a successful program this year. First, the school is now located on two campuses; students from EC to grade 8 study on one campus and high school students from grades 9-10 study at another campus two kilometres away. The high school students will attend lessons on the first campus twice a week, but their interaction with the younger grades is considerably lessened. Therefore, there will be less opportunities for the grade 9 and 10 students to support the younger grades on a daily basis.
Additionally, the school has a number of other objectives this year that may overshadow the implementation of the program. These include MYP and DP accreditation, a PYP self-study, and a smooth transition to the new campus.
There are members of the community who support a bilingual school program only (English and Japanese) and do not want to provide opportunities for students to use other languages outside of their home.
A successful implementation of a Language and Cultural Ambassador program needs to build on the successes from last year that promoted multilingualism and multiculturalism including:
Additionally, the school has a number of other objectives this year that may overshadow the implementation of the program. These include MYP and DP accreditation, a PYP self-study, and a smooth transition to the new campus.
There are members of the community who support a bilingual school program only (English and Japanese) and do not want to provide opportunities for students to use other languages outside of their home.
A successful implementation of a Language and Cultural Ambassador program needs to build on the successes from last year that promoted multilingualism and multiculturalism including:
- A student-led after school Chinese club
- "Buddies" who provided social check-ins and translations for younger students (in Chinese)
- Creation of multilingual signs for teaching and learning in the classroom.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS
There are still a number of steps that need to be undertaken to get the program running which are outlined below. While the program will be student-led, some administrative assistance will be needed. As the program grows, constant reflection, evaluation, and recreating new ideas is required to meet the needs of our community.
Recognizing the gaps in language in data gathered from the language profiles may also help in recruitment of new staff. When one population of students from a particular culture within the school community begins to grow, the school may consider finding staff members who can support their needs. This will become more important as students approach the DP and decide to study their first or best language for one of their language requirements. Supervisors who can support the students in their first or best language would benefit the students more than an outside tutor.