Read with MEE: Tips for reading with young multilingual children

The researchers involved in the Erasmus+ funded project ‘Read with MEE’, coordinated by the Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning, have produced a handbook containing information, tips and resources for reading activities with children who speak multiple languages. The research team is particularly aware that it can be difficult to access research findings or practical information on the most effective ways to encourage and carry out reading activities with multilingual children.

The Read with MEE handbook, entitled ‘Inclusive Multiliteracy Development in Early Childhood Education and Care’, is now available in English, Frisian, Dutch and Basque, and presents the most important research findings in clear language, shares new ideas from research and offers suggestions for concrete actions in the classroom and at home.

On ‘Inclusive Multiliteracy Development in Early Childhood Education and Care’

Research shows that children who speak a language or languages at home other than the language of instruction need extra time and support to learn the language of instruction. Support is also needed for the development of their written language skills so that they can reach the same level as their classmates who speak only the language of instruction.

This handbook has been written for adults who work with young children (aged 2 to 6) who speak multiple languages, including teachers and staff in childcare and primary education. It is also intended for parents and carers of young children. It presents key research findings in accessible language, shares new insights from the research, and offers practical suggestions for use in childcare settings, in the classroom or at home. 

Three topics

The handbook covers three main topics:

1. Multilingualism: How children learn and use multiple languages

Children’s language development, including that of children who speak multiple languages, proceeds in four main stages. Although every child develops at their own pace, these stages give us a clear picture of how children learn. It is important to remember that the child’s environment, such as the decisions made by parents and teachers, plays a very important role.

2. Written language skills: Developing reading and writing skills

The path to early written language skills is the same for multilingual children as for those who speak only one language. However, the way written texts are used at home or in the community may differ. This can sometimes lead to a problem: reading and writing in the school language may be associated with ‘learning’, whilst reading and writing in the home language is not viewed in the same way and is accorded a lower status. 

3.Professional development: Advice and strategies

Professional development focused on multilingualism can provide staff with new knowledge on topics such as how children learn and use more than one language, how languages can be used in a supportive and flexible way in the classroom, and how the bilingual/multilingual brain works. Staff can then design and implement new multilingual practices in their classrooms. They can discuss and evaluate these new practices with their colleagues or the organisers during group or individual meetings.

At the end of the handbook, there is also a checklist to help you assess the quality of books for young children, plus ideas for activities to read books with multilingual children.

Free of charge

The handbook can be downloaded free of charge from the Read with MEE website. It is currently available in Frisian, Dutch, English and Basque, and is being translated into Irish and Spanish.