In a region where students grow up surrounded by different languages and cultures, being multilingual is more than an academic advantage. It can help young people connect, communicate and participate confidently in the world around them. For International Schools Partnership (ISP), the ambition is for every student to develop as a multilingual learner, and making that happen requires more than simply teaching additional languages. That ambition was at the heart of the ISP Leadership in Multilingualism Conference, hosted recently at The Aquila School. The two-day conference brought together multilingualism leads and senior leaders from ISP schools across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, alongside regional, divisional, global and Group colleagues. Their focus was clear: to learn from one another, strengthen connections across schools and identify practical priorities they could take back to their own communities. From a shared ambition to what happens in schools Students across ISP schools have very different experiences of language. Some already use several languages in their everyday lives, while others may be developing an additional language for the first time. ISP’s approach starts by recognising those different starting points and building from them, with the wider ambition of giving every student opportunities to develop and use multiple languages. Across the conference, participants explored what this means for teaching and learning. They considered how the languages and knowledge students already have can help them understand new ideas, how teachers can create opportunities for students to develop their language skills, and how schools can use evidence to understand the progress students are making. Gemma Donovan, Regional Head of Multilingualism for ISP Middle East, said: “Every student brings their own language experiences into school. Our role is to recognise that starting point and build from it, so that all our students have opportunities to develop as multilingual learners. This conference has allowed our schools to look closely at what that means in their own communities and, importantly, what they can do next to strengthen the experience for students.” Learning from schools across the region A key goal of the conference was to build a strong regional community around multilingualism and strengthen connections between the people leading this work across ISP Middle East. Rather than schools working in isolation, participants shared experiences, examples and challenges from their own communities and learned from the expertise of colleagues across the region. This was particularly important because multilingualism will not look the same in every school. ISP schools serve different communities, follow different curricula and have students with different language backgrounds. The aim is not to apply one model everywhere. Instead, schools are developing a shared understanding of strong multilingual practice while considering what will make the greatest difference for their own students. Rory Galvin, Regional Learning Director for ISP Middle East, said: “Language is fundamental to learning. It is how students explore ideas, make connections and show what they understand. Good Learning Design starts with understanding what students already know and considers how their languages can support new learning, while continuing to develop the language they need to make progress. The important part is translating that understanding into what teachers do every day.” Turning the Multilingualism Roadmap into action A central part of the two days was ISP’s Multilingualism Roadmap, which helps schools reflect on their current approach, recognise areas of strength and identify where they want to develop further. School teams used the Roadmap alongside evidence and their knowledge of their own students to consider where they are now and set priorities that are meaningful for their communities. The emphasis throughout the conference was on moving from discussion to action. Participants were encouraged to reflect openly on their own schools, learn from colleagues and identify what could make the greatest difference for students. By the end of the conference, the expectation was that participants would leave not simply with new ideas, but with clear priorities to take back to their schools and turn into action. Dr Jay B. Teston, Principal of Nibras International School, said: “It was a pleasure to attend ISP’s Multilingualism Conference in the Middle East. The learning will help us deepen our practices to support the 120 cultures and nationalities represented within our school community, while enriching the practice of our teachers, who themselves represent 36 nationalities. Together, our aim is to strengthen multilingual learning and support greater student achievement.” Multilingualism as part of every student’s learning The conference also connected the work happening across the Middle East with ISP’s wider approach to multilingualism, with Ruth Radwan, Group Head of Multilingualism, joining colleagues during the event. Ruth said: “Multilingualism is about recognising and supporting the development of the languages students know, helping them to make connections across those languages and creating meaningful opportunities to develop new ones. Students develop languages in different contexts and to different levels of proficiency, but our ambition is for every student to see multilingualism as an asset, empowering them to become compassionate and open-minded global citizens.” For ISP Middle East, that ambition is particularly relevant to the diverse and international communities its schools serve. Kam Bhamra, Regional Managing Director for ISP Middle East, said: “Our students are growing up in communities where different languages, cultures and perspectives are part of everyday life. We want them to see that as an opportunity that enriches their sense of culture, belonging and identity. “Developing as a multilingual learner can help young people communicate with more people, understand different perspectives and prepare for opportunities beyond school. Our responsibility is to create environments where students’ languages and cultures are valued, they feel a genuine sense of belonging, and multilingualism becomes part of who they are and who they can become.” Taking the learning back to schools For The Aquila School, hosting the conference was also an opportunity to reflect on how multilingualism can be further strengthened within its own classrooms. Multilingualism Lead at The Aquila School, Ms Tarryn Hin said: “One of our priorities at The Aquila School is to build on the languages our pupils already bring into the classroom. Following the conference, we want to give teachers practical ways to recognise and use pupils’ existing language knowledge to support learning across the curriculum. The aim is for multilingualism to be visible not only in language lessons, but as an asset to learning throughout the school.” As the conference concluded, teams identified priorities for their individual schools and considered how to put them into practice. The next stage happens back in schools, as leaders share the learning with their teams, put their priorities into action, and continue learning from colleagues across the region. For ISP, that is how the ambition becomes real: school by school and classroom by classroom, creating more opportunities for every student to develop and thrive as a multilingual learner.
