Being able to read in two languages fosters better cultural understanding and sets the foundation for a more successful academic experience. As such, it’s a great early childhood learning skill, especially when your child isn't a native English speaker. While it takes some extra work, young minds are flexible enough to pick up on the letters and sounds of different languages at the same time and become bilingual fairly quickly. Here are a few tips to help support their progress. 

How to Enhance Reading Skills in Your Bilingual Child

1. Introduce Phonological Awareness 

The first step to reading is learning letter sounds and how they form words. This is the basis of phonological awareness, which involves rhyming, identifying syllables, and alliteration. Mastering these skills allows children to distinguish and manipulate sounds, promoting strong alphabet recognition. You can introduce phonological awareness through various activities, such as singing and playing games.

2. Read Out Loud

Spending time reading with your child each day gives them the chance to hear the correct pronunciation of words. Over time, they’ll be able to start associating the spoken word with the written word. Reading the same books again and again can help boost their vocabulary and build comprehension even faster, as repetition is one of the most effective strategies for early childhood learning of languages. 

3. Read Books in Both Languages 

Choosing dual-language books to read with your child will help maximize their reading time. Books with parallel texts provide equal exposure to their native and non-native languages and ample opportunity for them to practice both. This makes it easy for them to cross-reference while gaining familiarity with vocabulary and sentence structures. 

If you’re looking for an early childhood learning facility that can help advance your child’s English comprehension skills, consider A Rising Star Children’s Center in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. Their preschool program offers a variety of activities in several languages to help strengthen cognitive learning. With over 40 years of combined experience, their staff is dedicated to providing a fun, safe environment for kids to thrive and grow. Call (914) 862-4283 to schedule a visit, or get more information about the curriculum online.