Multilingualism

“Multilingualism promotes culture. A culturally diverse child is better prepared to participate and compete in a global society.” -Maritere R. Bellas-

Multilingualism is an integral part of any international school and CINC is no different. There are a vast number of different languages represented from around the world at our school. This diversity is celebrated, and our students love to experiment with different languages.

For this reason, we are very excited to extend our isiZulu offering to the Grade 0 students at our Preschool. Research has shown that young students use the same part of the brain to acquire a second language that they use to learn their mother tongue. They are also far more comfortable than older students in trying new sounds and words.

There is also evidence that students who learn an additional language are more likely to develop problem-solving, critical-thinking and listening skills. They also display improved memory and concentration. This suggests that learning an additional language has a direct impact on academic achievement.

Equally important, students who are exposed to other languages are more open- minded and more likely to consider themselves global citizens who celebrate diversity and different cultures.

Recently, our Grade 2 students did a mini inquiry into how people say “Hello” around the world… their greetings can be seen on the language wall in the Prep Waiting Area.