Finding Ourselves in New Soil When I first read The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak, I was moved by how a single fig tree could symbolize belonging, loss, and adaptation. “To be uprooted is to be displaced not only from the soil that held you but also from the language, the smells, the sounds, the very air that gave you life.” - Elif Shafak (2021) This idea resembles to the experience of multilingual learners (MLs) in international schools. Much like the transplanted

In schools, it is easy to focus on what is most visible - tangible: grades, test scores, and subject-specific achievements - products and...

I have just watched - again! - one of my favourite movies, RomCom and cheesy but it has so many relatable messages in it. One scene in...

A colleague of mine told me an anecdote the other day. He once saw a student in the corridor, looking upset, and he asked: “What’s up?”...

A LEAVES Perspective In today’s diverse classrooms, where languages and cultures come together to create vibrant learning spaces, content...

“Language acquisition proceeds best when the acquirer is ‘open’ to the input, not ‘on the defensive’; not anxious about performance.”...

In language teaching, no single theory holds all the answers. While Stephen Krashen’s Natural Approach emphasises subconscious...

In the Natural Approach, self-esteem plays a crucial role in language development. When multilingual learners feel safe and confident,...

Key Takeaways for Teachers: Practical, Everyday Strategies: Teachers don’t need to be language specialists. Simple strategies like...

Multilingual learners, ELL, ELA, ESL students, are what I call the 'heroes' of international schools. Not because they fly around in...