Native Language @ ISB

Community Resources

January 25, 2023
by ISB Native Language Programs
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Join Us for Raising Multilinguals, a Parent Workshop

On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, from 7:45-9:15 a.m. in MPB 1, ISB faculty and administrators will offer a workshop for parents from all divisions (ES, MS, HS) about maintaining students’ native languages while they also study in English at ISB. This will be similar to the Raising Multilinguals workshop offered in prior years, and is especially useful for new families.

At this workshop, faculty and administrators will:

  • Present reasons to maintain native language, based on research
  • Describe language classes and resources available at ISB
  • Discuss the importance of making a family language plan

Please join us! Parents of students in PreK through Grade 12 are welcome. For further information, please email: 

nativelanguage@isb.ac.th

January 21, 2023
by ISB Native Language Programs
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Register for Sessions (Seasons) 3-4 in Panther Native Language Academy

Registration is now open for Panther Native Language Academy classes for Sessions (Seasons) 3-4, which will begin on February 6. Sign up until Wednesday, January 25 at 6 p.m.!

Calligraphy and a dragon for Chinese New Year in lower ES Mandarin classes. Teachers: Zhouying Wang (top) and Chinchin (Jeannie) Fan (bottom, shown).

 

November 5, 2022
by ISB Native Language Programs
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PNLA Session (Season) 2 Begins November 7

Panther Native Language Academy Session (Season) 2 classes will get underway on November 7, with largely the same schedule as before except for a few tweaks. Questions always welcome! PantherNativeLanguageAcademy@isb.ac.th

Young students prepare to write ひらがな with brushes and water, and older students read aloud in ES Japanese. Teacher: Ayaka Kobayashi

August 11, 2022
by ISB Native Language Programs
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Sign Up for Panther Native Language Academy

Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! Registration is now open for after-school programs, including Panther Native Language Academy!

Panther Native Language Academy teachers (top) with Anthony Giles, Director of Arts and Activities

Schedules for PNLA classes will be tailored to fit the participants’ availability.

  • If you have received a schedule survey for your language, please submit it by 8 a.m. on Monday, August 22.
  • Registration and payment via PowerSchool/CCA is due by 12 noon on Wednesday, August 24.

If you have questions about Panther Native Language Academy, please come to our booth in MPB 1-3 between 9 a.m. and 12 noon on Saturday, August 20, during the Panther Activities & Sports Fair. The MPB is at the top of the Zigzag.

Please note: Our after-school native language classes best suit students who are (a) unable to take a native language class during school, or (b) students who need extra support as determined by the teacher of the native language class in school. A native/near native language is generally described as a language that is used on a daily basis with at least one parent. Further details are here.

Please feel free to email questions anytime! PantherNativeLanguageAcademy@isb.ac.th

Here’s to a language-rich school year!

June 16, 2022
by ISB Native Language Programs
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“Tug on” Languages Between School Years

The vacation between school years is an opportunity to practice languages . . . by visiting home countries, reading books for pleasure, speaking with loved ones, and more. How will your family “tug on” languages during ISB’s upcoming vacation? 

줄다리기 at an ES Korean party for the International Day of Multilingualism, March 2022. Teacher: Young Ae Jung

Touwtrekken at an ES/MS/HS Dutch celebration of Koningsdag, April 2022. Teacher (not pictured): Kees Meinders

April 18, 2022
by ISB Native Language Programs
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View Parent Workshop on Translanguaging

On Tuesday morning, March 29, 2022, ISB welcomed Dr. Laura Ascenzi-Moreno and Dr. Cecilia M. Espinosa, authors of the book Rooted in Strength, to join us remotely for a Parent Education session about translanguaging. They explored the questions What is translanguaging? and What does it mean for my family? They also responded to questions from ISB parents.

Their one-hour session is now available as a video! Here are details about the session and the speakers. What questions do you have about translanguaging?

 

March 14, 2022
by ISB Native Language Programs
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ISB Language Snapshots, Semester 2, 2021-22

What languages might you hear on ISB’s campus these days? Here is a snapshot based on student data for Semester 2, 2021-22 (click image to enlarge).

Note: This graph shows the number of students for whom each language is listed as Student Language in PowerSchool. The data is incomplete, as multilingual students could report only one Student Language, and some families did not report a language.

Below is one more snapshot, of how many ISB households are likely to be multilingual. The green portion, just less than 20 percent, represents families for whom English is listed as Student Language, Parent 1 Language, and Parent 2 Language in PowerSchool. The blue portion represents all families for whom that is not the case.

Since English is a common language at school, it may come as a surprise that most ISB households are not monolingual, English-speaking households. This graph makes that reality visible.

To check on your family’s language data in PowerSchool, contact us anytime: 

nativelanguage@isb.ac.th