On November 10th our primary students had an exciting time, as they participated in the Mother Tongue assembly of the first semester.
Our German-, English- and Arabic-speaking students from K2 – Y6 gathered at various locations and enjoyed an afternoon of activities. Collaborating with peers across the year levels our younger and older students had great fun and an amazing time.
The German-speaking group, led by Mr. Lars Jirmann, went to the library for an exciting time of story reading and book exploration. Students from Y4 and Y6 read two stories from selected books to the younger children in K2 – Y1. Mr. Lars Jirmann read an exciting story, about a naughty little rabbit, to the children of K2 – Y1, while older students read on their own. As a last activity, all students selected some books from the library and engaged in reading and showing each other parts of the books. Enjoying reading is an important part of school life and it’s even more fun when students read to each other.
Our English language group was led by Ms. Vanessa Brett and gathered outside of the secondary building. The students from year levels Y1 to Y6 got to know each other, chatted a lot, and cooperated in exploring games like “hopscotch”, “duck, duck, goose” and “charades”. Laughter and joy were audible from this group and the children had a great time. Some new friendships emerged from these activities. The English language group had students from very diverse language backgrounds, and showed, how a common language can connect all children across the globe.
Arabic students, led by Mr. Oualid Benkali, engaged in activities that served as an educational and cultural experience for the students, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the diverse and rich history and traditions that characterize the Arab world. The students had discussions regarding the similarities and differences that exist within the Arab world. They watched a video of the UAE national anthem and attempted to comprehend its meaning. Exploring heritage and culture is an important part of growing up, a part we celebrate here at UISG.
My special thanks go out to all primary students who volunteered to support activities on that afternoon. You all did a fantastic job and really showed what amazing members of our school community you are.
By Lars Jirmann
Head of Languages
