At Durham School for Girls, Doha, students bring different languages, cultures and experiences into their learning every day. Recognising those different starting points and creating opportunities for students to develop as multilingual learners can help young people communicate, connect and participate confidently in the world around them. Joining the ISP Leadership in Multilingualism Conference Recently, Somaia Mehana, Director of Arabic Studies/ Multilingualism lead and Gloria Caballero, Head of Inclusion, represented Durham School for Girls Doha at the ISP Leadership in Multilingualism Conference in Dubai, joining colleagues from ISP to explore how multilingualism can translate into meaningful experiences for students. The two-day conference brought together multilingualism leads and senior leaders from ISP schools across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, alongside regional, divisional, global and Group colleagues. Participants explored multilingualism through the lens of their own school communities, while learning from the experiences and expertise of colleagues working in different contexts. Ms Mehana, shared this about her experience at the conference: “What stood out most for me from the Multilingualism Conference in Dubai was the shift from simply making multilingualism visible to really thinking about its impact on teaching and learning. The conference gave me practical strategies around language-aware teaching, learner profiling, and using observational, numerical and perception-based evidence to measure progress. I returned to Durham School for Girls, Doha with a much clearer vision for embedding multilingualism across the whole school. Ultimately, this matters because recognising and supporting our students’ linguistic identities helps them feel valued, access learning more confidently, and achieve their full potential.” Understanding multilingual learners Students across ISP schools have different experiences of language. Some already use several languages in their everyday lives, while others may be developing an additional language for the first time. ISP’s wider ambition is to give every student opportunities to develop and benefit as a multilingual learner. During the conference, participants considered how the languages and knowledge students already have can support new learning, how Learning Design can create opportunities for language development and how evidence can help schools better understand student progress. They also used ISP’s Multilingualism Roadmap to reflect on practice and consider priorities within their own school contexts. Gemma Donovan, Regional Head of Multilingualism for ISP Middle East, said: “One of the most valuable parts of coming together as a region is learning from the different experiences across our schools. Colleagues can take that shared learning back to their own communities, reflect on what their students need and identify practical priorities that can strengthen multilingual learning in their school.” Learning from different school communities in Middle East The conference brought together colleagues from schools with different curricula, communities and student language profiles. This gave Durham School for Girls, Doha the opportunity to hear different perspectives, share experiences from Star Dubai and consider how ideas discussed at the conference relate to their own students. Rather than applying the same approach in every school, the focus was on developing a shared understanding of multilingualism while recognising that strong practice needs to respond to each school’s particular context. Rory Galvin, Regional Learning Director for ISP Middle East, said: “Strong Learning Design begins with knowing our learners. The conference gave colleagues time to explore how language can support learning, consider evidence from different contexts and reflect on what this means for their own students. Taking that thinking back into schools is where it can begin to make a difference.” Ms Caballero also shared her highlights from the conference: “One of the most valuable insights I gained from sharing perspectives with colleagues across ISP schools was the importance of shifting our perspective on multilingual learners: moving from viewing language as a barrier to recognising it as a bridge to learning. By understanding and drawing on students’ full linguistic repertoires, we can build on their existing knowledge, strengthen conceptual understanding and create meaningful pathways to academic success. This perspective positions multilingualism not as a challenge to overcome, but as an asset that can enrich teaching and learning.” Creating opportunities for students in Doha For ISP Middle East, developing multilingualism is ultimately about what students experience in their schools and classrooms. Kam Bhamra, Regional Managing Director for ISP Middle East, said: “Our students are growing up in communities where different languages, cultures and perspectives are part of everyday life. We want them to see that as an opportunity that enriches their sense of culture, belonging and identity. Developing as a multilingual learner can help young people communicate with more people, understand different perspectives and prepare for opportunities beyond school. Our responsibility is to create environments where students’ languages and cultures are valued, they feel a genuine sense of belonging, and multilingualism becomes part of who they are and who they can become.” For Durham School for Girls, Doha, taking part in the conference provided an opportunity to contribute to that wider regional conversation while bringing fresh thinking back into the school community. As part of our ongoing multilingualism development at Durham School for Girls Doha, we are strengthening our whole-school approach through professional learning, language-aware teaching strategies and greater recognition of students’ linguistic identities. We are also developing more consistent approaches to understanding students’ language profiles and using evidence to inform classroom support. Our aim is to ensure that multilingualism is not only visible across the school, but is meaningfully embedded in teaching and learning so that all students can access the curriculum, develop their academic language and thrive as confident learners. As colleagues across ISP Middle East take their learning back into their individual school contexts, the connections created through the conference will continue to provide opportunities to share expertise and learn from one another. At Durham School for Girls Doha, the learning and perspectives brought back by Somaia Mehana and Gloria Caballero will contribute to that continuing journey, with the shared ambition of creating meaningful opportunities for students to develop and thrive as multilingual learners.
