Students are leaning into learning more about the Hmong and Khmer cultures and languages.
The pages of books are coming to life in Padao Thoa’s class this summer.
Students are learning more about the Hmong language and culture through Fresno Unified’s Heritage Language Programs.
“I want these kids to understand that hey, you guys, you need to preserve it,” Thao said.
Thao teaches the students between TK and second grade to read and write in Hmong through reading and discussing traditional stories, like one about a little boy learning to make rice porridge.
“We watched videos, we read, we wrote about it and then I made porridge from home. I brought it here, and then I let everyone take a stir,” Thao said.
She says her goal is to preserve the Hmong culture with the younger generation.
“I just want to make sure some of these kids, I can spark the interest so that they’ll keep coming back,” Thao said.
Across campus, 4th through 8th grade students are learning about Khmer, the native language and culture of Cambodia.