WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A TEACHER CHAMPIONS HOME LANGUAGES - Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A TEACHER CHAMPIONS HOME LANGUAGES As it is often the case in “monolingual” schools, the rich linguistic diversity gets hidden, involuntarily as a consequence of the school policies and due to teenagers’ desire to fit in. How can we raise the profile of home languages and the pride students have in their own heritage? To learn more about the very first steps we can take to raise the profile of home languages and cultures, join Yoshito live to ask your own questions. (If you can’t make it live, don’t worry, you will be able to catch-up later) GIVEAWAY: Don’t miss out on a chance to win some of Yoshito’s books, a free author visit, or the Intercultural Ambassador Certification. (See link below) TIMESTAMP 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:35 Giveaway explanations 00:07:38 Why am I passionate about multilingualism 00:09:49 Context of my school 00:11:19 My role as an International Links Coordinator 00:15:19 Valuing home languages and cultures 00:18:28 My doubts: Problem with legitimacy 00:21:51 Other limitations 00:23:44 Open-minded leadership team 00:25:13 The goal for Home Languages and Cultures 00:27:22 My story 00:29:15 Consideration before starting 00:30:37 What language do I speak with my children. Why? 00:33:16 Finding resources for my students and children 00:35:11 Making discovering other cultures FUN 00:37:53 The initiatives started 00:43:03 Bengali teacher helps students connect with their roots 00:49:18 The language of the month calendar 00:56:33 Learning curve 01:00:23 Translanguaging Enquiry Group 01:04:43 Changes observed 01:06:50 Plans for this year 01:12:50 Last piece of advice 01:16:13 Conclusion WHO IS YOSHITO DARMON-SHIMAMORI Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori is a foreign languages teacher with 14 years of experience and the international links coordinator at a diverse secondary school in London. Over the past year, he has led whole-school initiatives to celebrate and elevate home languages, using events, student-led activities, and staff training to embed multilingualism into the school culture. His teacher-led advocacy has helped shift understanding at the leadership level and sparked conversations to value students’ home languages and cultures. His passion for multilingualism and empowering multilingual children extends far beyond the walls of his school. Yoshito is the author of four books designed to empower multilingual children, pre-teens, and teens. Through school visits, he helps students recognise that multilingualism is a superpower. He also created the Intercultural Ambassador Certification, a programme that equips students aged 8–14 with tools for cultural understanding and respectful communication. His presentation explores how meaningful, whole-school change, can begin with the vision and voice of one teacher. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOSHITO’S WORK: Website: https://www.library4multilinguals.com Read extracts of my books: https://www.library4multilinguals.com... LinkedIn:   / yoshito-darmon-shimamori-339482187   Instagram:   / multilingual_dad   YouTube – Library4Multilinguals:    / @library4multilinguals258   YouTube – Activities for Multilingual Families:    / @activities4multilingualfam   EVENT’S IMPORTANT LINKS: PDF Programme of the event: https://bit.ly/GMLEvent2025prog Enter the Giveaway: https://forms.gle/vm3sPLAY5P6EdpcG9 ORGANISER: This event is being organised and hosted by Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori / Library 4 Multilinguals Ltd. Yoshito is an author dedicated to empowering multilingual children through his books and the work he does in schools. To learn more about his books and how he supports schools: WEBSITE: www.library4multilinguals.com If you want to support the translation of his books in various languages: DONATION PAGE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/yoshitods