Host country language in international education

Where does it belong?
Format

Self
Study

Starting date

On
Demand

Author

Susan 
Stewart

Best for

Language Teachers

Duration

2 weeks
2-3 hours p/w

Price

£ 99
+ VAT

Please note VAT will be added at checkout where applicable. 

About the course

In many international schools, the host country language sits on the margins - sometimes required, often undervalued, and rarely integrated into wider language and literacy development.

This course invites you to rethink its place and purpose. Grounded in research on multilingualism and literacy development, the course explores how multilingual learners develop proficiency across all their languages.

You will examine attitudes, hierarchies, and assumptions surrounding host country language, and how these influence curriculum design, student engagement, and learning outcomes. You will reflect on how host country language can become an integral part of students’ language and literacy development, rather than a standalone subject.

Designed for host country language teachers, language coordinators, and school leaders, the course guides you through analysing your own school context, including student population, curriculum structure, and policy constraints.

By the end of the course, you will create a clear, practical action plan to strengthen host country language teaching and learning in your school.

Reframe Host Country Language

Understand its role within multilingual development, not as an isolated subject.

Analyse Your School Context

Identify structural and cultural factors shaping host country language learning.

Plan Practical Next Steps

Create an actionable plan to improve teaching and learner progress.

Susan Stewart

Susan has lived and worked in South Africa, Thailand, the UAE, Belgium, Oman, Sweden and the UK, and has raised two bilingual children.

As a lifelong learner of languages, she speaks, to varying degrees, English, French, Dutch, German, Afrikaans, Swedish, Arabic and BSL.

With a background in international education, developing and leading multilingual language programmes, Susan has a particular interest in language policy as a driving force in promoting multilingualism within families, schools and on a national level.