International Mother Language Day - 21st February, 2026

Week 1 – Discovering Our Mother Language

Phase: Topic Introduction & Intercultural Icebreaker

Students complete the Initial Evaluation to share what they already know about their mother language, identity, and global communication.

Teacher introduces the Mother Language Project, explaining why mother languages matter and how students will celebrate and protect them.

Students explore the project goals, timeline, and how they will work with an international partner class.

Each student shares one personal connection to their mother language (a favorite word, memory, song, or family tradition) on the Project Board.

Students create short introduction videos (30–60 seconds) sharing:

Their name

Their mother language

One thing they hope to learn

Partner classes watch each other’s videos and begin exchanging messages through the group chat.

Week 2 – Listening to Language Stories

Phase: Empathize

Students interview family members, elders, or community members about:

What the mother language means to them

How it is used at home

Challenges the language faces today

Students record responses using audio, video, or simple notes.

Teams create empathy maps showing how people feel, think, and experience their mother language.

Students collect stories, words, songs, or expressions and document them with photos or recordings.

Classes share their language stories with the international partner class and compare similarities and differences.

Students identify common themes such as pride, emotion, identity, and language loss.

Week 3 – Defining the Language Challenge

Phase: Define & Ideate

Students review empathy findings and discuss:

Why some mother languages are fading

Who is affected

Why it matters

Teams create simple cause charts or problem trees to show reasons for language loss.

Partner classes collaborate to create “How might we…” questions, such as:

How might we help children enjoy learning our mother language?

Students brainstorm many solution ideas, including:

Storytelling clubs

Mini dictionaries

Language games

Posters, videos, or digital tools

Teams group ideas and select 2–3 strong, realistic solutions together with partner classes.

Week 4 – Creating and Testing Solutions

Phase: Prototype & Test

Students create simple prototypes, such as:

Posters or mini books

Audio recordings

Short videos

Digital slides or Canva designs

Teams share prototypes with the international partner class and receive feedback.

Students test their ideas with classmates, families, or teachers by asking:

What do you like?

Is it easy to understand?

Would you use this?

Feedback is recorded and discussed.

Teams improve their solutions based on feedback and document changes made.

Week 5 – Sharing, Reflecting, and Celebrating

Phase: Presentation & Reflection

Students prepare a final presentation explaining:

The language problem

Their solution

What they learned

Classes host a Language Celebration / Showcase, in school or online.

Partner classes join a virtual sharing session to present final work and celebrate together.

Students co-create a shared reflection mural (Padlet / Slides) with key learnings.

Students complete the Final Evaluation, comparing growth from the start of the project.

Class discussion on:

How to continue using and protecting mother languages

How small actions can create big cultural impact