Preparing for a Bilingual / Mutlicultural Holiday Season

A great way to engage dual-language learners and to build excitement among all students during the holiday season is to add a multicultural and bilingual twist to your classroom holiday festivities.  Below are 5 suggestions to liven things up in the classroom. Each idea has a link which will provide much more detailed information and examples.

1) Highlight the Spirit of Giving Thanks

The holidays are the perfect time of year to focus on gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness, both at home and in the classroom. In bilingual classrooms, the topic of thankfulness can involve language learning (learning to say “thanks” in many languages) and also cultural sharing (how different cultures show their appreciation). See this link to learn more about teaching thankfulness in bilingual classrooms.

2) Learn About a New Holiday

When you learn about holidays from other cultures, you’re learning about new religions, customs and languages.  Kids also gain an appreciation for diversity when they see how other holidays are different and similar to the ones they celebrate.  Click here to receive a free, standards-based lesson plan that explores traditions from many different religions and cultures, including Christianity, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism.


3) Arts and Crafts from Around the World

Bring cultural diversity and international flavor to your holidays with crafts from around the world.  Click here to find five easy multicultural kid crafts. The best part? They can all be made with materials you probably already have. Plus, they involve minimal mess, and are simple enough for most kids to complete on their own.

 4) Celebrate with Holiday Foods from Other Cultures

Don’t let holiday stress get you down! Take a culinary journey by trying out these winter holiday dishes from all around the world. Use it as a creative potluck theme, and everyone can join in the fun!

5) Engaging Bilingual Students

The holidays are a great time to get your bilingual students talking with you and one another! Students’ minds are full of happy memories from holidays past, and they will want to share how their families celebrate at home. Check out our tips to help your students direct their holiday excitement into fun language opportunities.

We hope these suggestions help to bring excitement and inclusiveness to the holidays as you celebrate with your students!

Note: this article was adapted from Language Lizard's blog article: “5 Ways to a Bilingual / Multicultural Holiday Season”.