Celebrating European Day of Languages in Primary Schools: Fun Activities for MFL
The European Day of Languages on 26th September is always a highlight of the school calendar! It's a fantastic opportunity to celebrate both the languages learned in school and those spoken by children at home. This year, with a special focus on diversity and inclusion, it's a great time to foster a sense of international connection.
How to plan your celebration
European Day of Languages offers a perfect reason to dedicate some time to celebrating languages in your school. Whether it’s a half-day or a full-day event, this celebration is a great way to expand language learning beyond the classroom and embrace the home languages of your students.
To add a festive touch, why not involve food in your celebration? You could collaborate with your kitchen staff to serve a variety of international dishes or simply bring in some croissants and pain au chocolat for a tasty start to the day!
Make the most of assemblies returning to your school by singing songs in different languages. This year, we have a brand-new Thank You For The Earth song available on the VLE, alongside many other fun options from previous years’ celebrations.
Resources to help
If you haven’t already, Network members should explore the Seasonal Specials page on the VLE. This year’s resources include activities and videos with a focus on diversity, perfect for creating a truly international celebration.
A simple but effective way to introduce new languages is through greetings. You’ll find a great international physical greetings activity from 2019, as well as our beloved Greetings Garden activity, which remains a classroom favourite.
For something more interactive, check out the Try Another Language section on the VLE. With nine different languages to explore, including basic vocabulary and audio support, it’s an ideal resource to use for this day of celebration.
Celebrate Creativity
Most importantly, the European Day of Languages is all about having fun with language learning! Encourage your pupils to get creative and celebrate their linguistic diversity. And don’t forget to share your school’s celebration with us on Twitter @network_primary—we’d love to see what you all create!
Let's make this year’s European Day of Languages an unforgettable celebration of the power and fun of learning languages!
