Home is where the heart is

International Mother Language Day 2020

Abraham Moss Library, in Crumpsall, North Manchester – part of Manchester Libraries.

Home is Where the Heart Is was an art and language activity offered to the Talk English foundation stage learners attending a weekly English conversation café at Abraham  Moss Library. Learners could express their thoughts about home in a phrase or picture in their own language or English. These written bricks or tiles would decorate a piece of artwork in the shape of a typical home which would be placed on display in North City Library following International Mother Language Day 2020 in which the theme was Home and what it means to everyone. Many learners wrote and drew inspiring simple statements in English and home languages to pin on the house and decorate it to make it look like a Home.

This activity was successful in encouraging these learners to participate in the 2020 International Mother Language Day at North City Library. We had previously struggled to engage learners attending Talk English ESOL conversation cafes due to the low levels of capability in educational and digital literacy among these learners. This activity was part of an ongoing programme linking these communities, acting as a primer and a lead to encourage them to participate and engage with other library and council services around their communities, thereby expanding their confidence and knowledge of their new home city of Manchester.