Written by Lila Jorge, Associate Head of School
The Significance of Linguistic Diversity
We are thrilled to share the significant strides we are taking at BFIS to nurture Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. During the first semester of the school year, our staff was engaged in completing their certification as we work towards becoming a certified bilingual and multilingual (BML) school.
Throughout this period, our teachers immersed themselves in an intensive 8-week program. This initiative is grounded in our profound belief in the significance of linguistic diversity. We recognize that every child at BFIS is continually building and expanding their linguistic skills, contributing to cultural richness that fosters awareness, intercultural appreciation, and understanding.
Nurturing your child’s first language
At the core of our BML certification lies the understanding that a strong foundation in a child’s first language serves as a gateway to proficiently acquiring additional languages. In other words, nurturing your child’s mother tongue*—reading together, engaging in dialogues- playing with the nuances of words, and building linguistic competence in their home language—is equally important, if not more. Research consistently supports this approach, highlighting the pivotal role of a strong first language in the overall language development of a student.
BFIS is proud to embrace a rich tapestry of languages within our diverse community and its celebration of linguistic and cultural diversity. Our students are lucky to live in a country that is multilingual where there are four distinct languages – Basque, Castillian, Catalan, and Galician. We aim to instill in our students a deep respect for diverse perspectives and backgrounds. This approach is intrinsic to our mission of preparing students to be well-rounded global citizens.
School-home partnership
As we embark on this transformative journey, we invite our BFIS parents to actively participate in our upcoming workshops. The partnership between school and home is essential in unlocking the full language potential of our students. To facilitate the school organizes various workshops designed to provide valuable insights into language acquisition strategies and culturally responsive practices.
Exciting times lie ahead, and we are confident that our collective efforts will not only shape the linguistic landscape of our school but also contribute significantly to the holistic development of our students.
We have a BML Team that is leading the way and has invested in developing a three-year action plan.
*The term “Mother Tongue” is no longer used; instead, “first language” captures a more comprehensive and accurate representation.
