Why raising bilingual readers is important?
According to the International Literacy Foundation, literacy is a powerful tool in achieving equal education for children from diverse backgrounds.
Nearly 30% of Australia’s population was born overseas so we have a rich diversity of cultures and languages in our society.
Sadly, children from refugee and migrant families often experience challenges like falling behind in early literacy and missing educational milestones. They often struggle to learn both English and their traditional language.
It’s important for kids from different backgrounds to develop bilingual literacy skills at an early age because there are many amazing benefits and outcomes if they do.
How being bilingual helps children?
Cognitive and Personal Development
- Positive effect on brain function and development
- Increases concentration, problem-solving and multitasking abilities
- Helps children understand language structure
- Increases psychological wellbeing, self-worth, and belief in their abilities
- Helps develop better social and communication skills
Education and Employment
- Linked to better academic results
- Makes it easier for children to learn additional languages in later life
- Equips them to interact better in today’s globalised world
- Increases employment and travel opportunities
Cultural Identity
- Deeper connection to their home countries and heritage
- Stronger sense of cultural identity and belonging
- Encourages appreciation and acceptance of different cultures
- Enables children to communicate with extended family members
Strengthening Family Bonds
- More quality family time as parents help kids learn their native language
- Fosters deeper emotional connection
- Improves family communication
ROOP’s Multilingual Baby Books help disadvantaged kids!
ROOP wants to ensure young Victorian kids can take advantage of the many benefits of being bilingual.
We work with many families from migrant and refugee backgrounds and understand the importance of parents reading to children in their native language. That’s why we’ve published over 30,000 bilingual children’s books in more than 12 languages, including Arabic, Farsi, and Urdu.
Our Multi-lingual Baby Books Program empower parents to teach their children to read in their own language, maintain their culture, and inspire early childhood learning.