We #LoveOurLanguages Campaign

**This is Part 1 of a series! Stay tuned for the next post to continue this work! I would like to personally thank Clara Vaz Bauler for her thoughtful collaboration and insightful feedback in this piece, which helps me (and all of us) move from passive "appreciation" to intentional action in our classroom spaces, so that we can better serve our students, families, and communities! Follow her on Twitter! **

A few years ago, I was wondering about all the ways to invite conversations about how many languages are present in our classrooms. Generally, the EL or Multilingual Learner teacher has stacks of papers that indicate all students' home or heritage languages - but does the rest of the school staff? How about the students?

In a country of anti-immigrant and English-only rhetoric, it is important that we are intentional about honoring students' identities by acknowledging, recognizing, and celebrating their languages. 

Let us begin by having conversations with our students about the beauty of languages within our community. Ask about the languages heard in the grocery store, in their house of faith, on the TV or radio, and what languages are featured on local billboards. Remind students that languages are both seen and/or heard. 

Ask students if they know an additional language other than English. Start to write down a list! After students have shared, ask about their family members, caregivers, or guardians in their homes. What languages do they speak? This can also begin to spark a great conversation about what happens in families when a grandparent or parent is unable to (or discouraged from) passing down a language. We can ask questions like how this happens and why. This can lead to really powerful discussions. 

The magic comes when we proudly and publicly display our classrooms' languages. Print out this template, have students fill in the languages, and display it in the hallway outside of your classroom door. 

Check out this Google Slides presentation that you may wish to use as you have these conversations with your students! As always, feel free to go to FILE & Make a Copy to best suit your needs.

 Check out these printable templates that you may wish to use.  Post your photos on social media using #LoveOurLanguages so you can spread language joy. Show your students the hashtag's photos so they can take a peek at classrooms all over who are proud of their languages! 

Encourage teammates to do the same thing. Walking down the hallway after the first week or two will get students talking about languages they see, hear, and notice! 

**Check out Part 2 in this series!**