Tutorial 05
Multilingual shared book reading
If your child is growing up multilingual, it helps to consider which language is best for shared book reading.
Your child will grow up multilingual if they learn or use German and German Sign Language in everyday life. Your child may also grow up with two or more spoken languages or two or more different sign languages. Every deaf, hard of hearing or hearing child and every family is therefore unique.
Tips for language selection:
Shared book reading in your favourite language
Your favourite language is the language you know best and feel most comfortable in – this can be a sign language or a spoken language. That one is particularly suitable for shared book reading.
In your favourite language you can
describe well what you think and feel. Your child understands you and the world around better.
have fun. Your child will perceive your joy during shared book reading in your favourite language and will be motivated.
explain special things. For example, you can explain idioms or the contents of the book.
In your favourite language you can
describe well what you think and feel. Your child understands you and the world around better.
have fun. Your child will perceive your joy during shared book reading in your favourite language and will be motivated.
explain special things. For example, you can explain idioms or the contents of the book.
Is the book not in your favourite language?
Look at the pictures and tell yourselves something about them. You can also tell the story yourself.
Your child doesn’t want you to read to them in their favourite language?
Think about what reasons your child has. Try out different languages together and then decide together which language you would like to use for shared book reading.
Children growing up multilingual can switch languages during shared book reading – signed or spoken. This way they practice telling you something. If you don’t understand something, ask your child to explain it in another language.
Shared book reading with multiple languages
Shared book reading in multiple languages can support the learning of several languages.
The language your child already knows better will help them to understand other languages more easily.
There are various ways of using several languages when you do shared book reading:
You read the book in one language and switch to another language when
your child doesn’t understand you and you want to make sure they do,
you want to talk to your child in another language,
your child asks you something in the other language or wants to tell you something,
you or your child does not know a word in a language.
Shared book reading with one language
Some children can be overwhelmed if two or more languages are used at the same time during shared book reading. If you only use one language, your child can concentrate on understanding this language.
There are various options if your family is multilingual:
You always read in the same language.
You read in one language, another family member in another.
You can first read a book in the language that your child already knows better. At another time, you can read in the other language that your child is not so good at yet. It will then be easier for your child to understand the more difficult language.
You read in one language in one situation and in another language in another situation.
The ReaDi picture books are multilingual
You can switch between different languages in the ReaDi picture books: German, German Sign Language, Arabic, English and Turkish.
You can find more multilingual picture books here >
You can decide which language you want to use for shared book reading. On each book page, you or your child also have the option of changing the language if necessary.
If your child can hear German well, they can also listen to the story alone or with you. In every ReaDi picture book, there is an audio track for German alongside the written text. Connect your child’s hearing aids or cochlear implants to the digital device (e.g. via Bluetooth).
There are also websites that read aloud in other languages. Here is a list >
Exercises
Exercises
Which language(s) do you prefer for shared book reading?
Ask your child what their favourite language is and which language(s) your child prefers for shared book reading.
If possible, read a book in different languages. Your child can help you with this.