Say it your way
12 July 2025
UWCSEA Communications team
Student HLP-ers are helping peers learn, share, and shine—in the languages that feel most like home
A little ‘help’ goes a long way, especially when it’s in your home language! Across both East and Dover campuses, students in Grades 11 and 12 volunteer their time to support peers in learning and celebrating their home languages through the HLP-ers Service. These student helpers work closely with experienced language teachers from the Home Languages Programme (HLP), blending technical language instruction with personal connection. The programme offers a unique space where students not only develop language skills but also share culture, hobbies, and stories, making learning both meaningful and enjoyable. For these HLP-ers, it’s about more than teaching; it’s about connecting with others and creating an environment where everyone feels understood and included simply by speaking their own language.
Teaching is personal
Yuki, Grade 11, Dover Campus
For Yuki, the HLP-ers Service isn’t just about teaching a language, it’s about creating a space where students feel comfortable and valued as they learn. “I’ve always loved teaching,” Yuki says. “From helping my sister learn to read the clock to supporting friends with homework, it’s just something I enjoy.” But for Yuki, the deeper reason for joining HLP-ers was the magic of language itself.
After moving between more than six schools, I found that speaking Japanese helped me build incredible connections. Nothing beats the look on someone’s face when they realise you share a home language. That’s the experience I want to share with younger students.
At school, where English is often the main language everyone gravitates towards, Yuki finds comfort in speaking Japanese with close friends. This daily ritual becomes a small escape from routine, a chance to relax and be himself. Using slang and expressions that don’t translate into English, speaking Japanese after class feels like a familiar refuge, just like the language he uses with his family at home.
Connecting through culture and language
Jessi, Grade 11, Dover Campus
Jessi joined the HLP-ers Service because it connects deeply with her culture and personal experience.
I was excited to support students working on their home language alongside English—it felt like a meaningful way to help create a more inclusive environment. It’s about creating a space to connect through language in a very international school.
She enjoys the balance between formal language learning and personal connection. “Working alongside language teachers, I try to bring warmth, sharing hobbies like reading or chatting in Spanish. Those moments show real progress, not just in language but in friendship.”
Speaking Spanish at school gives Jessi a comforting way to express herself fully, creating a space where she feels both at ease and proud of her cultural identity. She believes the HLP-ers Service plays a vital role in making UWCSEA more inclusive, as sharing language alongside culture helps new students feel a stronger sense of belonging.
Nami, Grade 12, East Campus
Outside the classroom, Nami sees herself as an engaged and genuine learner, something she brings fully to her role as a HLP-er supporting younger fellow Japanese students.
Being half-Japanese, this activity allowed me to connect with my identity and support younger learners in a language I care about deeply.
She reflects on how the experience offered a chance to both teach and learn: “When I enjoy something, I commit to it fully, and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and demonstrate leadership.”
Over time, Nami developed a strong understanding of how her students learn. “Some were outgoing and lively, others quiet and focused. I found that using games and friendly competition helped engage both groups.”
In the final lesson she led, she designed a fast-paced activity that encouraged active learning through play. She also applied a teaching technique she’d picked up from her own teacher: using an ‘exit ticket’ to help students consolidate what they learned and stay engaged.
“I believe my involvement in HLP-ers shows both my enjoyment and commitment to learning and leadership, as well as my willingness to innovate in and beyond the classroom.”
For HLP-ers like Yuki, Jessi, and Nami, it’s not just about guiding others, but walking alongside them. As they show that language is a two-way street, they’re also paving the way, reminding the next wave of HLP-ers that while our languages may differ, connection is always possible. By sharing the parts of their language that feel like home, they open the door for others to find that feeling too.
