The Power of Mother Tongue in Language Acquisition

By Samphors Sar

At Northbridge International School Cambodia, language is more than a subject—it’s the heartbeat of our diverse and inclusive community. Our students bring a rich tapestry of languages from home, reflecting the truly global nature of our school.

While English is our primary language of instruction, we proudly offer Chinese, French, Japanese, Khmer, and Korean through our world languages programme. For students in the IB Diploma Programme, additional language options are available via Pamoja, ensuring every learner has the opportunity to thrive in a multilingual environment.

Why Mother Tongue Matters

Research consistently shows that a strong foundation in a student’s mother tongue is essential for successful language acquisition. Students who are confident in their first language develop stronger literacy skills and learn additional languages more effectively. This foundation enhances their ability to:

• Recognize linguistic patterns

• Understand meaning in context

• Communicate across cultures

Building Identity and Global Awareness

At Northbridge, we celebrate and integrate mother tongues into our classrooms because we know language is deeply tied to identity and confidence. By valuing every language, we empower students to embrace their cultural heritage while becoming compassionate, multilingual global citizens.

Every language is a bridge—connecting people, cultures, and ideas. Through this approach, we prepare our learners not just to succeed academically, but to lead with empathy in an interconnected world.