Name: Bett Asia
Start: 2026-09-23T09:00:00+08:00
End: 2026-09-24T17:00:00+08:00
Location: Mandarin Oriental

Belonging before fluency: Supporting wellbeing and inclusion in multilingual classrooms

With multilingual learners making up a growing share of the student population in international schools across Southeast Asia, supporting them well requires more than language provision alone. It requires attention to identity, confidence and belonging.

Join Janelle Torres, Research Manager - Southeast Asia at ISC Research, and a panel of school leaders as they discuss multilingual learner trends and how schools in the region are responding.

This session will explore the relationship between language, identity and belonging; the point at which language barriers begin to affect participation and confidence; and the classroom conditions that encourage multilingual learners to contribute fully. The panel will also examine the role of AI and digital tools in reducing barriers and supporting student independence.

Supported by ISC Research data and intelligence, the session offers practical, regionally grounded approaches to wellbeing and inclusion in multilingual classrooms. 

Thursday 24 September 12:15 - 12:45 Classroom Theatre

Add to calendar 09/24/2026 12:15 09/24/2026 12:45 Belonging before fluency: Supporting wellbeing and inclusion in multilingual classrooms Explore how international schools in Southeast Asia are supporting multilingual learners' wellbeing and belonging. Classroom Theatre Asia/Shanghai