How Teachers Should Use Bilingual Books To Help Multi Lingual Learners

A lot has been said about the benefits of bilingualism and how bilingual toys for preschoolers can help them in their overall growth. This blog mainly talks about how teachers should use bilingual books to help kids learn a new language. Using books to strengthen children’s language skills are central to any early childhood classroom, but they become especially important for classes with children who are dual language learners (DLLs). The teachers in the classroom should:

Pre-read books in the home language - Talk to the preschoolers about the book in their home language before you start reading it. This activity may include asking the children what they think the book might be about, looking through the pages, discussing the pictures, and introducing ideas and words. This approach allows learners to fully understand the story, talk about any questions before hearing the story in their second language, and learn new concepts.

Keep switching languages on alternate days – Remember you are promoting bilingualism in children, so it is important that you keep switching languages on alternate days. Read a bilingual book for preschoolers in one language on one day, and switch to the other language on the second day. Discuss the book on both days and ask questions, so that every child, regardless of language, has a chance to participate in the discussions.

Pick out special vocabulary words - Bilingual picture books are a great way for children to learn new vocabulary words as the language is presented in context. These books also provide an excellent opportunity for learners to compare letter sounds and cognates. Every time you read a book, focus the children’s attention on one or two vocabulary words and then use and discuss those words in both languages.

Apart from just teaching preschoolers in a classroom, suggest their family members also use bilingual books at home and read stories to their children.

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