necessary vocabulary in the official language, they are ready to begin reading and writing that language. Students continue to develop fluency and confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing their MT and the official school language( s) to the end of primary school.
Patani Malay Grade 3 student’ s story in Thai, her second school language.( Thailand) © Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Thailand
Teachers use students’ MT as one of the languages of instruction in all grades.
Including the Excluded: Promoting Multilingual Education
Teachers use the students’ MT for teaching all subjects, except the official school language, in early grades. They provide activities that encourage students to use their MT as they think and talk together about new ideas. They use the things their students already know to introduce new concepts in math, science and other subjects. They provide team activities that challenge students to talk together as they apply what they have learned so they understand and can use their new knowledge for further learning.
8