We explore the origin of the StoryWalk® and how libraries around the country can take advantage of this immersive idea. Then, we offer bilingual book recommendations to include in your own StoryWalk®! Continue reading Bilingual Story Walks
Tag Archives: bilingual families
5 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness Day
We are ready to pay it forward today. It’s time to spread kindness to all your neighbors! Continue reading 5 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness Day
Parents Night for Bilingual ELL Families
Have you thought about hosting a Parents Night event just for your bilingual families? It’s a great opportunity to create a personal connection with parents who have a unique set of concerns, as well as a valuable skill set to bring to your classroom. Continue reading Parents Night for Bilingual ELL Families
Supporting Bilingualism: 4 Reasons Parents Should Speak Heritage Languages at Home
Although the United States has been dubbed “the graveyard of languages” for its lack of heritage language support, today’s children’s futures need not be so bleak. Given the right encouragement, immigrant families can pass on the best of both worlds to their children: a home language in addition to the community language.
For many decades there has been a common misconception that immigrant families will help their children most by completely switching to English in the home. The belief is that the more a family uses English together, the stronger their English language skills will become. While it is true that family members can help one another by practicing English together, English should not supplant the native language in the home. In fact, dropping the home language in favor of English can end up having many negative consequences.
Why would a family do this? A strong desire to prepare children for a competitive education system is one very common reason. Continue reading Supporting Bilingualism: 4 Reasons Parents Should Speak Heritage Languages at Home