International Baccalaureate Organisation:
“The current trend in migration and increased diversity in schools provides an opportunity to support student agency, affirm cultural identity and develop international mindedness through LANGUAGE.”
At the TGS Prep Library, we have been working on bringing our “Mother Tongue” collection to the front in our library space.
We have spent some time collecting books in what we have found to be the most prevalent languages other than English in our school community. This term we have shifted the collection from an easily forgotten shelf, to a display shelf in the very front of the library space.
We have found very early success with this strategy. From comments such as “My grandparents speak Telugu!” and boys borrowing books to read with grandparents, we have noticed that the most significant impact is on boys and families seeing their home languages represented in our school community.
We’ve even been lucky enough that some boys have chosen to read aloud to us, which is truly special!
-Courtney Nolan, Library Service Specialist
