In 1968, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) was established with a philosophy that “the world could be made better through an education that focused on concepts, ideas and issues that crossed disciplinary, cultural, national and geographical boundaries” (International Baccalaureate, 2004, 3). In 1994, the IB introduced the Middle Years Programme (MYP) to extend its philosophy and approaches to teaching and learning to a younger demographic. Multilingualism and intercultural understanding is a key aspect of all IB programmes:
Learning to communicate in a variety of ways in more than one language is fundamental to the development of intercultural understanding...IB programmes, therefore, support complex, rich, dynamic learning across a range of language domains...Intercultural understanding involves recognizing and reflecting on one’s own perspective, as well as the perspectives of others (International Baccalaureate, 2004, 12).
The IB programme model is built around a number of aspects to support multilingualism and intercultural understanding encompassed by international mindedness.
As of August 2020, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) has over 5,000 schools worldwide, and over 70,000 educators serving more than one million students. These schools need to support students to learn how to appreciate “many beliefs, values, experiences...and ways of knowing…[by exploring] human commonality, diversity, personal identity and interconnection” (International Baccalaureate, 2004, 12).
Learning to communicate in a variety of ways in more than one language is fundamental to the development of intercultural understanding...IB programmes, therefore, support complex, rich, dynamic learning across a range of language domains...Intercultural understanding involves recognizing and reflecting on one’s own perspective, as well as the perspectives of others (International Baccalaureate, 2004, 12).
The IB programme model is built around a number of aspects to support multilingualism and intercultural understanding encompassed by international mindedness.
As of August 2020, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) has over 5,000 schools worldwide, and over 70,000 educators serving more than one million students. These schools need to support students to learn how to appreciate “many beliefs, values, experiences...and ways of knowing…[by exploring] human commonality, diversity, personal identity and interconnection” (International Baccalaureate, 2004, 12).
(International Baccalaureate, 2004, 5)
The development of a multilingual and multicultural ambassador program will embody the IB philosophies by providing a safe space for minority students and providing them with opportunities to develop service learning relationships, and to develop the skills, strengths and attributes of an IB learner (inquiring, being knowledgeable, thinking, communicating, being principled, being open-minded, caring, risk-taking, being balanced, and being reflective) (International Baccalaureate, 2004). Students will be able to make explicit and implicit connections to the IB global contexts, specifically identities and relationships, personal and cultural expression, and globalization and identities.
International schools host a diverse community of students from countries worldwide. Many students move from one country to another and can experience difficulty connecting socially with their peers. These students are often referred to as third culture kids (TCK) who have spent the majority of their childhood in a culture other than their parents’ culture. (Fail, H. et al., 319). TCK are often psychoculturally adaptive, they are undergoing constant personal transitions as their identities are not fixed but temporary. TCK often struggle developing self-concept and defining their personal, social and ethnic identities (Fail et al., 323-4). Schools should take responsibility to help students deal with the issue of rootlessness and to support them through identity crises and culture shocks upon arriving in new countries (Fail et al., 322 & 333). Bilingual and multilingual language learners (BMLs) often have a further disadvantage of not being able to communicate in their first or best language. One means of support is to provide students with extracurricular activities that help build pathways for BML participation with their peers (Przymus, 265-6).
In addition to supporting students, schools also need to take responsibility for providing support to all new family members in their communities. Minority immigrant parents are less likely to make connections with their children’s school (Turney & Kao, 268). The lack of involvement has sociocultural implications as integrating with a school also helps socialize their children (Turney & Kao, 258 & 268). Kokokushijo, Japanese expatriates who have returned to Japan, can also be marginalized by local citizens who pride themselves on Japan’s monocultural society (Fail et al., 324-325). Schools should provide outreach to parents in their community as means of supporting student involvement and socialization.
To celebrate cultural diversity, institutions often choose to host festivals highlighting food, festivals, holidays, and learning about heroes, fables and other folklore from a range of cultures. While these lenses help students maintain and foster cultural roots (Fail et al., 327), they tend to reinforce and trivialize important issues that have shaped different cultures over time. Cultural ambassadors need to highlight the messages of history rather than simply where it comes from. To address multiculturalism, ambassadors need to ensure that they help with the advancement of pro-social capacities, social justice and critical thinking. (Tedx Talks, 2015, Oct. 28).
A language and cultural ambassador extracurricular program aims to recognize the challenges faced by BLM learners and their families in their community. An outreach program that welcomes and includes culturally diverse families, groups to schools can also develop the community and acquire cultural knowledge of themselves by defining their personal, social, and ethnic identities. The program can help school communities develop multicultural knowledge and skills through the use of multicultural communications and change agency. Afterall, we need to acknowledge that “no one’s culture or way of life is so rich that it may not be further enriched by contact with other points of view. (Green, 1966 as cited in Hare, 2002, 11).
International schools host a diverse community of students from countries worldwide. Many students move from one country to another and can experience difficulty connecting socially with their peers. These students are often referred to as third culture kids (TCK) who have spent the majority of their childhood in a culture other than their parents’ culture. (Fail, H. et al., 319). TCK are often psychoculturally adaptive, they are undergoing constant personal transitions as their identities are not fixed but temporary. TCK often struggle developing self-concept and defining their personal, social and ethnic identities (Fail et al., 323-4). Schools should take responsibility to help students deal with the issue of rootlessness and to support them through identity crises and culture shocks upon arriving in new countries (Fail et al., 322 & 333). Bilingual and multilingual language learners (BMLs) often have a further disadvantage of not being able to communicate in their first or best language. One means of support is to provide students with extracurricular activities that help build pathways for BML participation with their peers (Przymus, 265-6).
In addition to supporting students, schools also need to take responsibility for providing support to all new family members in their communities. Minority immigrant parents are less likely to make connections with their children’s school (Turney & Kao, 268). The lack of involvement has sociocultural implications as integrating with a school also helps socialize their children (Turney & Kao, 258 & 268). Kokokushijo, Japanese expatriates who have returned to Japan, can also be marginalized by local citizens who pride themselves on Japan’s monocultural society (Fail et al., 324-325). Schools should provide outreach to parents in their community as means of supporting student involvement and socialization.
To celebrate cultural diversity, institutions often choose to host festivals highlighting food, festivals, holidays, and learning about heroes, fables and other folklore from a range of cultures. While these lenses help students maintain and foster cultural roots (Fail et al., 327), they tend to reinforce and trivialize important issues that have shaped different cultures over time. Cultural ambassadors need to highlight the messages of history rather than simply where it comes from. To address multiculturalism, ambassadors need to ensure that they help with the advancement of pro-social capacities, social justice and critical thinking. (Tedx Talks, 2015, Oct. 28).
A language and cultural ambassador extracurricular program aims to recognize the challenges faced by BLM learners and their families in their community. An outreach program that welcomes and includes culturally diverse families, groups to schools can also develop the community and acquire cultural knowledge of themselves by defining their personal, social, and ethnic identities. The program can help school communities develop multicultural knowledge and skills through the use of multicultural communications and change agency. Afterall, we need to acknowledge that “no one’s culture or way of life is so rich that it may not be further enriched by contact with other points of view. (Green, 1966 as cited in Hare, 2002, 11).