Language Policy
Purpose and profile
Mission and language
“To nurture leaders with character and competence”
Fountainhead School Student Mission Statement
- Competence: Proficiency or mastery in more than one language
- Character: Pride in English and in home and family language (HFL), and sensitivity in choosing the language of interaction by context and audience
- Aligned: The language policy and the school mission statement are aligned
Objective and audience
- Consolidate beliefs and outline the systems that develop English as a lingua franca and maintain home and family languages
- Ensure compliance with IBO Standards and Practices as an authorized IB World School
- Refer to it when planning language teaching, curriculum and professional development
- For teachers, the parent community, and new or interested parents seeking admission
IB standards, profile and values
IB standards
Culture 4 (0301-04): implement and review a language policy • 4.2 multilingualism is a fact, a right and a resource • 4.3 physical and virtual resources • 4.4 rights and responsibilities • PYP 1: an additional language at least from age seven
Also linked
Lifelong learners 7: personal and cultural identity • Approaches to teaching 5.1, 5.3, 5.4 • Purpose 3.1 • Student support 1.6: active library
Learner profile
Caring: empathy, kind and thoughtful language • Open-minded: diverse perspectives, inclusive dialogue
Values
Respect • Excellence • Learner: every person is a lifelong learner of language
Who we are: language profile
- A multilingual community: families speak Marathi, Hindi and many other Indian languages at home, and some students are international
- English is the medium of instruction and acceptable to all
Languages in daily functioning
- Admin and support staff (transport, food, housekeeping) mostly use Marathi or Hindi; their notices and circulars are in these languages
- Staff know at least 1 or 2 of English, Hindi and Marathi; the community interacts in multiple languages by context
- English for operations, communication and management with parents and students
Communicating with parents
- All school-wide written communication is in English
- Individual parents and teachers may use a common language of choice, usually the parent's preference
- Most feedback forms and surveys are bilingual (English/Hindi)
- Large group parent interactions are multilingual by need
Beliefs and pathways
What we believe about language
Fundamental to learning, thinking, communicating
Connects us with others and helps us understand our world. Learning language, about language and through language are linked processes (Halliday 1980).
A vehicle for inquiry
Builds meaning and critical thinking. A threshold of cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) is essential for IB programmes, so stand-alone language teaching stays in authentic, learner-centred contexts.
Identity and international-mindedness
Most learners are additional-language learners of English. Additive (not subtractive) multilingualism affirms identity; HFL knowledge is activated through translanguaging.
Multilingualism benefits everyone
Enriches personal development, improves attention, problem-solving and thinking about language, and deepens understanding of other perspectives.
How learners acquire language
Language pathways by programme
| Grades and programme | Language of instruction / Language A | Language B / Acquisition | 3rd language |
|---|---|---|---|
| EYP Nursery to Senior KG |
English | - | - |
| PYP Grade 1 to 6 |
English | Hindi from Grade 1 | Marathi from Grade 2 |
| MYP Grade 7 to 10 |
English. Another IB-listed language: parents or a parent-hired teacher can teach it; school provides MYP subject requirements and training | Hindi (MYP eAssessment offered). Same self-taught option | Marathi till Grade 8. Needed to converse with local people; state law requires it |
| IBDP Grade 11 and 12 |
Group 1: English A Language and Literature (HL, SL); Hindi A Literature (HL, SL). Self-taught school supported option | Group 2: Hindi B (HL, SL); French ab initio (SL); English B (HL, SL). Self-taught option, or Pamoja courses | - |
Why English leads
English is the primary language across PYP, MYP and DP.
- 1Parents expect English as the language of teaching
- 2Language of most scientific, business and official communication in India, and the most widely spoken worldwide
- 3Preferred language of communication in school, acceptable to all stakeholders
- 4Preferred language to access the MYP and DP: develop it as the student's best language and full linguistic potential
Home and family language (HFL)
HFLs are integral to identity: affirm, value, develop, promote and maintain them. Multilingualism is an essential aspect of the typical classroom, used without undermining English as lingua franca.
Gr 1-12
Hindi offered as a second language
Gr 1-8
Marathi, the state language, taught to all
The school teaches Hindi and Marathi. Other home languages, including those of international students, are valued and supported through translanguaging and the library.
Language across the programmes
PYP
All PYP teachers are language teachers. Hindi from Grade 1, Marathi from Grade 2. Oral, written and visual strands are woven together; book study of at least 1 book every year from Grade 1.
- Integrated, transdisciplinary and literature-based
- Cooperative discussion; reading for meaning
- Differentiated reading by interest, readiness, proficiency
- Scaffolded experiences; writing as a process
- Multimedia reading and research; creative problem solving
- Portfolios, conferencing, writing samples, response journals
Aim: literate about language, multiple literacies, critical literacy. Scope and sequence aligned with the PYP document.
MYP
Builds on PYP skills. Students enter with English as their excelling language. Hindi and Marathi sit in Language Acquisition.
- All PYP approaches, plus:
- Quality literature across periods, cultures and genres
- Inquire, analyze and reflect on literary and non-literary works
- ICT to explore, respond to and critique language
- Language used in real-life contexts
Students needing help with the language of instruction get pull-out sessions, extra classes or support; presentations, worksheets and assignments are differentiated.
DP
Students enter with English as their best language, so English is Language A, the language through which they access the curriculum.
- Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
- Group 2: Language Acquisition
- HL or SL chosen by candidate preference and school recommendation
- English A plus Hindi A in Group 1 earns an IB Bilingual Diploma
- School-supported self-taught subjects for other languages
Language choices in the DP
Group 1 choices
- English A Language and Literature, HL and SL
- Hindi A Literature, HL and SL, for students who studied Hindi from the PYP and are interested
- English A plus Hindi A: Bilingual Diploma
- Other language: school-supported self-taught subject
Group 2 choices
- Hindi B (HL/SL) strongly recommended as host-country language; advised for students with 4-5 years of Hindi
- French ab initio (SL). French B SL possible by university requirement, fluency (DELF/DALF score) and teacher availability
- English B (HL/SL) for students with some prior English learning who want it as a second language, or who may struggle with English A
- Other language: school-supported self-taught subject
Supporting every learner
Students whose best language is not English
Self-taught subject, Group 1 or 2. For a student from a country where the medium of instruction is not English (Group 1), or who wants a subject the school does not offer (Group 2). The best language can be chosen for Group 1, or English as Language B.
Group 2 via Pamoja Education: Spanish ab initio and Mandarin ab initio, if students and parents pay the additional fee. The school appoints a Pamoja coordinator internally.
Example: Student Z picks Spanish A in Group 1, so must also take
English A (Group 1)
Result: Bilingual Diploma
English B (Group 2)
Result: regular Diploma
English is compulsory because all other school subjects are taught in English.
Keeping home languages alive
- Library: bilingual books, plus books and periodicals in Hindi, Marathi and other languages; parents encouraged to borrow too
- Assemblies on regional languages through music, dance and drama, especially the International Mindedness assembly; parents invited to share
- Parents are advised to develop and maintain the HFL: speak it daily at home, read books in it, share its music, songs and performances
- Linguistic diversity of the community is used as a rich resource in units of inquiry on culture, beliefs and values
- Hindi Bhasha Divas and Marathi Bhasha Divas in PYP, MYP and DP: games, quizzes, skits, guest speakers, special assemblies
- Senior School mother tongue assembly: students share stories, plays, movies and songs in their mother tongue
- English is additive, not subtractive
- Teachers who are more proficient in their HFL are trained for the language of instruction and may use HFL where it carries relevant knowledge
Translanguaging
It is about communication, not the language itself. Sometimes we teach accuracy in English for exams; most of the time we help students explore concepts, connect ideas and be heard.
No discipline procedure affects a student or teacher using their HFL in class
HFL is a support language, used where the teacher sees value (for example activating prior knowledge, recording early-years anecdotes verbatim, exploring cultural beliefs and values) and never as a crutch that suppresses English fluency.
Ask when planning
- 1What are my students' language backgrounds and needs?
- 2Do I want to scaffold content or language?
- 3What content is not easily accessible to particular students?
- 4Which unit aspects suit a home language (local or cultural knowledge)?
- 5How can it fit pre-engagement, partner work and HFL resources?
- 6Am I using HFL for input, output or both?
In the classroom
- Share new information in HFL, record in HFL or English, present in the target language
- Brainstorm with HFL words and visuals, then build a target-language text
- Watch a film, documentary or interview in HFL and share understanding in the target language
- Buddy system: student A helps student B translate ideas
- Read or hear a text in the language of instruction, then ask each other questions in HFL
- Face-to-face HFL conversations to process content
Role of the library
Central to the language programme: a space for love of reading and research, and a statement that all languages are celebrated and supported.
Collection
Fiction and non-fiction • Picture, chapter, board, pop-up and big books • Multicultural books and world classics • Autobiographies • Bilingual and multilingual books • Reference and encyclopedias • Media
Events
Author week • Poetry month • Author's birthday celebrations
Also supports collaborative planning, research and teacher professional development.
Library in practice
PYP
Weekly library period; classes can be held in the library with prior notice • Librarian and homeroom teachers run book discussions, read-alouds and research modelling • Every class also has a class library • Book study taken by the librarian teacher
MYP and DP
Individual and group research for written tasks, Extended essay and book clubs • Book tasting and book review events to read many genres
Who may need additional support
The school has no separate ESL or EAL programme: all students are viewed as ESL learners at entry, so early years focus on listening, speaking and multimodal English.
- First-generation learner of English
- Zero support for English learning at home
- Comes from a school where English was not the language of instruction
- Admitted at a higher grade with poor English foundation skills
- Diagnosed with a condition that inhibits learning
ALS programme
1Shortlisting
Informal screening and observations • Previous teacher feedback • Previous reports and assessments • Home environment feedback • Admission assessments (new) • Start-of-year assessments (existing)
2Support
Classroom support and/or intensive pull-out for a set period • In MYP, English is best for most, so in-class support suffices
3Adjustments
Simplified curriculum or different expectations • Modified assessments • Special access arrangements case by case
Staff and parents
Staff language agreements
Created by consensus of staff representing the teaching community: develop English as the best language without making it a burden or denigrating other languages.
1. We take pride in being a multilingual community
- Common language of mutual convenience with parents, admin and support staff
- Celebrate diversity through library books and HFL assemblies
- PYP: after 2 pm on student working days, in the PYP staff lounge and dining areas on all days, and on Saturdays without students, teachers may use any language
2. We are responsible for developing English as our learners' best language
- PYP: HRTs, RTs, HRT-TLs, ALS teachers and PYPLT teach English whenever the opportunity arises (SSTs excluded)
- In classrooms and grade wings in student hours, homeroom teams speak English; SSTs may use HFL if not fluent or if it serves the lesson
- ILT develop Hindi/Marathi as target language in students and in their own team
- ALS teachers focus on English and scaffold instructions down
- EY teachers use largely English, with individual translanguaging as needed
- English on the bus when students are around; PYP formal meetings after 2 pm in English
3. We recognize language as a powerful tool and own our learning
- Remind students that fluent English comes from using it at all times: classroom, playtimes, meal areas and bus (adults too)
4. We are a caring community that helps each other with language
- No disciplinary measures for not using English, for any staff or student
- Translanguaging in collaborative meetings as the audience needs
5. We are mindful of our language and what could offend
- Our language choice never excludes anyone from a conversation
- Polite and respectful language with colleagues and students at all times
Practice shifts: moving away from, moving towards
| Area | Moving away from | Moving towards |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | All planning and teaching in Language A | Considering whether outcomes need translanguaging, HFL scaffolds or differentiation for ALS students |
| Teaching | Expecting all teachers to stick to English even when their language skills are suspect | Using HFL strategically, not as a crutch, while committing to English as students' best language |
| Teaching | Using HFL only in casual interactions | Using HFL strategically as a tool for learning |
| Teaching | Teaching all language as inquiry | Recognizing CALP and BICS and explicitly building both, even through stand-alone teaching |
| Assessing | English only for oral presentations | Some strategic flexibility in the language of presentations |
| Interaction | Expecting everyone to speak English | People choose the language of their choice and comfort |
| Interaction | Advising parents to speak English to children | Advising parents to actively maintain, develop and promote HFL |
| Interaction | Advising teachers to work on their own language skills | Targeted professional development for teachers' language skills |
Parents who do not know English
Appendix 4: internal note to all teachers and admin staff.
Never look down on parents who are not well educated or do not speak English
- Not every parent can be well educated or know English; that is the reality of our town
- These parents are often keenest for quality education: appreciate them
- Low involvement usually means we have not communicated well; take the extra step
- At the PCM you MUST make genuine efforts to make every parent comfortable and not left out
Teacher development and links
Professional development
New-hire training on teaching language • On-the-job learning • In-school PD and external language experts
Language sessions for teachers not proficient in English are attempted but are not a priority; teachers are expected to be self-driven.
Linked policies
Admission: language profile at admission; oral and written readiness test in English and Hindi • Assessment: all 4 dimensions of assessment • Learning Diversity and Inclusion: ALS goes hand in hand
English as every learner's best language, without denigrating any home language: multilingualism is a fact, a right and a resource for learning.