Middle School World Language Day Connects Language Learning with Music, Art, and Performance

On Wednesday, January 21, Our Middle School marked World Language Day with a series of immersive, language-specific experiences designed to deepen students’ understanding of culture, creativity, and global perspectives. Held during the late-start schedule, the morning invited students to step beyond textbooks and engage directly with living traditions connected to the languages they study. 

Mandarin students gathered in the auditorium for a traditional Taiwanese puppet theater performance by True Yung-Lin Ko Puppet Theater, a professional troupe known for preserving and reimagining glove puppet theater (布袋戲). The performance, The Legend of the Hungry Dragon, combined humor, action, and storytelling, with dialogue performed in Mandarin and supported by English summaries. 

“Puppet theater plays an important role in Taiwanese culture, but it’s something many students rarely experience live,” shared Ms. Shirley Chao, Middle School Mandarin teacher. “Seeing the puppets move, hearing the language, and understanding the cultural references helped students connect classroom learning to Taiwan’s cultural heritage in a very immediate way.”  

The performance also reinforced intercultural awareness by allowing students to engage with a local art form while reflecting how storytelling and performance communicate values across cultures. 

In the Harmony Theater, Spanish students attended a live Latin music performance by Groove Station Duo, featuring Colombian vocalist Norma Medina and Brazilian guitarist Fabio Moreira. Through a variety of Latin music styles such as bachata, bolero, cha-cha-cha, and son montuno, students explored how language, rhythm, and music express cultural identity. 

“Music brings the language and culture to life for our students,” noted Ms. Heather Cline, Middle School Spanish teacher. “As many of our students are musical themselves, the ability to connect the language, rhythm, and emotion of music from the Spanish-speaking world helps them understand Spanish on a deeper level, not just vocabulary and grammar, but as something vibrant and alive.” 

The performance encouraged attentive listening and cultural appreciation, helping students see how language learning connects to real-world artistic expression. 

Meanwhile, Latin students gathered in the Middle School Library for a hands-on art session designed by artist, Classicist, TAS alumna, and our Lower teacher, Ms. Isabella Lu ’21. Inspired by Lunar New Year lanterns and ancient Greek vases, students created their own lanterns while discussing symbolism, design, and historical context. 

“Latin often lives in texts, so giving students a creative, hands-on way to explore classical ideas makes the culture feel more tangible,” shared Ms. Kim Dang, Middle School Latin teacher. “Art allows students to think about how ancient traditions continue to influence visual culture today.” 

Across all three sessions, World Language Day reflected a shared commitment to helping students experience language as a living practice shaped by people, history, and creativity. 

“Our goal is for students to see language as a way of understanding the world and connecting with others,” added Mr. Javier Silva, Middle School World Language Coordinator. “Days like this remind students that language learning is deeply human and culturally rich.” 

By engaging with performers, artists, and musicians, students experienced language learning as active, relational, and connected to global perspectives, an approach that continues to shape meaningful learning experiences in the Middle School World Language program.