mother tongue the story of the english language

Yet, due to globalization processes, they are increasingly under threat, or disappearing altogether. Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and planet. The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN is organizing a discussion with senior officials from Permanent Missions (including Bangladesh, Denmark, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Morocco and Timor-Leste) and the United Nations (including UN Secretariat and UNESCO representatives) on the theme “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education.” The discussion segment will be followed by multicultural performances.

Tuesday, 21 February 2023, from 3 to 5 p.m. Multilingual education based on mother-tongue facilitates access to and inclusion in learning for population groups that speak non-dominant languages, languages of minority groups and indigenous languages. The theme of the 2023 International Mother Language Day, “ Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education” aligns with recommendations made during the Transforming Education Summit, where an emphasis was also placed on Indigenous people’s education and languages. Multilingualism contributes to the development of inclusive societies that allow multiple cultures, worldviews and knowledge systems to coexist and cross-fertilize. This approach enables learners whose mother tongue is different from the language of instruction to bridge the gap between home and school, to discover the school environment in a familiar language, and thus, learn better. It is a type of education that begins in the language that the learner masters most and then gradually introduces other languages. UNESCO encourages and promotes multilingual education based on mother tongue or first language. International Mother Language Day recognizes that languages and multilingualism can advance inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goals’ focus on leaving no one behind. But progress is being made in multilingual education with growing understanding of its importance, particularly in early schooling, and more commitment to its development in public life. Globally 40 per cent of the population does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand.

Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education

Mother tongue the story of the english language