Great Scot September 2019 Great Scot 157_September 2019_ONLINE | Page 14

Junior School LEFT TO RIGHT: EVAN BROUGH, RICHARD CHEASLEY, DONNY MCOMISH, ROHAN KINARIWALA, RIO BARRY MR JON ABBOTT WITH YEAR 6 BOYS DURING A LITERATURE CIRCLE SESSION Becoming multilingual: a great way to connect The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Dr Seuss 12 Great Scot Number 157 – September 2019 This has always been my favourite quote by Dr Seuss, and it is certainly pertinent to acquiring an additional language. Reading and learning, as well as the skills gained in the process of language learning, are not only the ticket to getting around the globe but they are also a way to open another path to successful, international futures. There are many experts in the field, pointing out the great advantages for speaking a variety of languages. Professor Garcia, for example, notes the need for today’s young people to be able to cope with global interactions in a technology-driven world, especially in terms of multiliteracy skills, and the need for multilinguals in international business markets where speaking English is not enough. She makes the following apt observation: ‘… It is stressed that language skills are complementary to other skills such as science, engineering and technology and are not in competition with them, nor are these skills mutually exclusive.’ My most admired experts, however, are our young Junior School boys. It seems they are intrinsically aware that being more multilingual and multicultural is not only more fun (I quote: ‘It’s OK, Frau Cornelia, we have texted each other to practise our part as waiter for the