Celebrating International Mother Language Day

The languages we speak are an outward expression of our unique cultural identities. When schools create a welcoming environment and celebrate linguistic diversity, they help foster global awareness, tolerance, and understanding. One way for schools to reaffirm the identities of their students—and impart a universal lesson that multilingualism is an asset to be preserved and leveraged—is to recognize International Mother Language Day, on February 21. Out of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken today, nearly half are in danger of becoming extinct. International Mother Language Day was created in 2000 by UNESCO to tout the importance of maintaining languages around the world. 

I’m currently a middle school multilingual learner collaborative teacher and previously taught English learners at international schools around the world. Over the years, I’ve employed a number of activities and lessons inspired by International Mother Language Day. Below are some activities that are applicable whether you teach multilingual learners or not. Some of the activities are worth trying out on February 21, while others are year-round ideas that can continuously instill the principles and pillars of cultural and linguistic inclusion.

Say Hello

Year-round recommendation: Welcome signs

Display multilingual welcome signs at the entrance of your classroom. If possible, tailor some of the “welcome” messages based on the languages spoken by students and their families.

Mother Language Day recommendation: Morning greetings

Leading up to February 21, I give my students a homework assignment: I ask them to prepare to teach the class how to say “Good morning” or “Hello” in their languages. If your students are predominantly English speakers, you can randomly assign them another language, then ask them to give a greeting in that language on February 21. Translation apps are useful for helping students properly pronounce their “Good mornings” and “Hellos.”

Bring in Books

Year-round recommendation: Multilingual library

As space allows, start or add to a multilingual library in your classroom that includes books in the various languages spoken by your students. Multilingual libraries allow students to connect with their cultural heritage and traditions. When my students who are learning English see books in their languages, it sends a powerful message that those languages are valued and worth maintaining.

Mother Language Day recommendation: Multilingual reading and listening time

Have students bring in native language books or select options from your own multilingual classroom library or your school’s library. In a pinch, there are digital options for multilingual books, like WorldStories, International Children’s Digital Library, and Children’s Books Online: The Rosetta Project. Students who aren’t proficient in other languages can read books or articles about another culture—perhaps one of the cultures represented in your class. Allow 15–20 minutes for silent reading.

Another option is to have the whole class listen to a story in a different language, either via an audiobook or a classmate who’s comfortable reading aloud. Some students are not literate in their native language, so listening to audiobooks is an easier way to engage in literature above their reading level while simultaneously learning new vocabulary and developing fluency.

Teach Something New

Year-round recommendation: Multilingual curricular connections

Include linguistic diversity in your school curriculum. For example, a science class could look into the link between biodiversity and language loss. A math class could use statistics, charts, tables, and graphs to better grasp how many people speak specific languages. A social studies class might research the role that language plays in forming cultures. A language arts class could compare and contrast idioms in different languages.

Mother Language Day recommendation: Research endangered languages

There are endless fact-based inquiries about languages for students to explore. How many languages are there in the world? How many languages are in danger of becoming extinct? What are some languages that have fewer than 100 speakers? Teachers can also pose bigger-picture questions: Why do you think it is important to protect languages? I’ve found that when I ask these questions, students are surprised to discover how many languages are endangered and the unique historical, cultural, and scientific knowledge that is lost when languages die.

Both PBS and Great Big Story have digestible, interesting videos about the precarious existence of many languages and what happens when a language goes extinct. The Endangered Languages Project is a deeply researched resource featuring an interactive map that shows the pervasiveness of languages on every continent.

Hands-On Activities

Year-round recommendation: World languages map

Help students understand the diversity of culture and language by posting a map of the world in your classroom. Showcase the languages spoken in your school; have students fill in the map with common words or phrases that trace back to their own familial heritage. Ask a student or two to add to the map every week, so it slowly fills up over the course of the school year.

Mother Language Day recommendation: Play Kahoot

Many teachers are familiar with Kahoot, an online game-based learning platform that can be played via phone, tablet, or laptop. Teachers need to set up an account to get started but can use the basic free version without a paid subscription. There are a few games related to International Mother Language Day that are searchable on Kahoot: “Hello in different languages” and “Countries and languages.”

Include Family, Friends, and Special Guests

Mother Language Day recommendation: Culture share

It’s not necessarily practical to plan on a year’s worth of guests who can speak to their upbringing. On February 21, though, I like to invite special guests—they could be parents, colleagues, community members, or even friends and family—to give a presentation about their unique cultural backgrounds, including other languages they speak. This can be done in person or virtually. I ask the guests to talk about their traditions, holidays and special celebrations, favorite foods, clothing, and music—and, of course, to teach a few words in their language.

Sharing personal stories and using visuals keeps the audience interested. Some speakers have chosen to read a picture book in different languages; it helps to give a brief summary of what the story is about in English first. Even students who don’t understand the language that the story is being read in can follow along through the illustrations. Afterward, I ask students to reflect on the special guest’s lesson by filling out an “I noticed/I wondered” worksheet, followed by a class discussion.