HLP-ers, the HLP school service for Grade 11 students!
HLP-ers, the HLP school service for Grade 11 students!
The Beginning
By Isabel Crippa, Intern 2020
In 2020, the Home Languages Programme was at the brink of extinction. Covid-19 had complicated our logistics and we realised that to make HLP possible in 2020 we would need to bring helpers in.
And that is exactly what we did when we created “The HLP-ers service”! A solution that made our programme possible and simultaneously created a new opportunity for Grade 11 students to interact with other students in their native language.
Origin Story
Every academic year it is compulsory for Grade 11's to sign up for a service. However due to Covid-19 all the local services were put on a halt. There was a clear shortage of service opportunities for these students.
Covid-19 had similarly Home Languages Programme, for the past few years the Teachers Assistant's had helped bring students to their class and then to their drop off point. However since parents weren't allowed on campus all the TA's were busy taking the students from all the classes to their drop off point. Thus leaving us with no one to take or HLP students to their classes and drop off points.
Therefore, the HLP created a service opportunity for the Grade 11's while also gaining some helpers to aid us with the logistics of our programme. And that is the story of how the restrictions that Covid-19 put on UWCSEA, was actually in the end able to create something beautiful.
What is the service?
This is a unique Grade 11 service for a small number of students. It is only suitable for students who are fluent users of the relevant language and can also demonstrate that they have appropriate skills for supporting younger learners, as well the creativity and commitment to promote the home language beyond the classroom.
Their requirements were to:
interacting with students in the relevant langauge
supporting individual learners with tasks
supporting teachers with the delivery of lesson content
help the teacher with any problems regarding the online learning platform or IT
In addition, all HLP-ers must investigate and put into practice opportunities to publicize and celebrate their language beyond the classroom. This will include events at the UN International Mother Tongue week (in February) but could include displays and occasional “pop-up” events. Planning these will require collaboration with language teachers, support staff, fellow students and groups concerned with promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at UWCSEA.
The success of the service
A lot of trust was put in the Grade 11 students to be responsible and engaged, and we are really happy to announce that they have all delivered tremendously. They quickly figured out how to be proactive and helpful to the teacher and how to make the most of this service for themselves too by practicing their home or second language.
It is an absolute joy to see Grade 11 students talking to and interacting with their younger peers in a language that isn't English. The beauty of the Home Languages Programme is brought out even more as it becomes visible how amazing it is when two people are able to connect through another language & simultaneously culture.
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