Celebrating the Treasure of Language Learning

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Observed on September 26, the European Day of Languages aims to encourage better communication through language learning across the continent.

According to the Council of Europe, linguistic diversity is a powerful tool for achieving greater intellectual understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent. Throughout Europe, more than 700 million people are represented within the Council of Europe and they communicate in all the languages of the 46 member states.

In 2024, European Day of Languages runs under the slogan Languages for Peace – a celebration of how linguistic diversity and language education play a role in promoting a culture of peace, togetherness, and democratic values.

The British School of Sofia (BSS) participated in the celebration all through the day. Our language department teachers organised a series of interactive games and activities aimed at showing students just how fun and exciting language learning can be.

This year, BSS brings together more than 40 nationalities – a true testament to cultural diversity and the important role it plays in shaping up our community.

During the European Day of Languages, students got an opportunity to express themselves and gain some insight into the cultural background of their classmates.

The celebratory day started early in the morning when Grade 4 students prepared a quick and fun presentation for the youngest members of our community – the kindergarten bunch.

In their native tongue, the fourth graders described their home and its main characteristics. We witnessed presentations in Bulgarian, Greek, Hungarian, Spanish, Turkish, and German.

In the afternoon, language learning occurred in the form of games and interactive activities. We got to enjoy the September sunshine while playing musical chairs in several languages, drawing a poster dedicated to linguistic diversity, and partaking in a linguistics quiz.

The entire day was dedicated to showing children just how interactive and game-like language learning can be. The activities aligned perfectly with our educational philosophy – to provide new learning opportunities while nurturing and developing a student’s mother tongue. 

At BSS, English is the official language of instruction. All subjects are taught in English and students who need to develop their skills get additional language support to catch up.

IGCSE and IB students have an opportunity to master another language and hold exams to ascertain their level of linguistic mastery. A few of the most prominent second language opportunities made available to everyone at the school include Spanish, French, and German among others.