LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR CHILDREN.COM
  • Home
  • Resources
    • Building a Multilingual Home Course
    • Language Learning for Children Curriculum >
      • Coloring Book
    • LANGUAGE MAMA >
      • Language Mama Year 0 >
        • Language Mama Russian
        • Language Mama German
        • Language Mama Hindi
        • Language Mama Spanish
      • Language Mama Planner >
        • Planner Resources
    • Build Your Own Curriculum
    • Preschool English Lessons >
      • Argentine Spanish Lessons
    • Other Resources >
      • Arabic Resources
      • Hindi Resources
      • Bengali Resources
      • Serbian Resources
      • Dutch Resources
      • Mandarin Resources
      • French Resources
      • Latin Resources
      • Spanish Resources
      • Hebrew Resources
      • Greek Resources
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • PDF store

BLOG 

BOOST YOUR EFFECTIVENESS & INSPIRE YOUR CHILDREN

Five Guidelines for Choosing Great Picture books for second language learning

2/19/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture

Nothing feels quite like reading a good storybook with your child in your lap. ​

Our family has a few favorite picture books that are so loved, many dog-eared pages have tape on them, grimy finger smudges on them, and everyone (especially mommy) has the words memorized! For us, its Dr. Seuss ABCs and anything by Richard Scarry.

Our children go back to these books again and again because they want the experience of entering the world of the book through the words and pictures, which usually happens when sitting in the lap of a trusted, loving adult in their life.

Books with a good story and pictures can transport our children to another place or time. Books can also give the child a "Hey, that's me!" feeling of familiarity when they experience a story about a child like them or activities they do.

And in the case of second language learning, provide a perfect context to introduce phrases, concepts, and vocabulary that wouldn't otherwise exist in the classroom/home learning setting.  Don't underestimate the power of books for language learning, even if they are not in your target language!

However, not all books are created equal when it comes to using them for second-language learning.  
When we plop a book in front our children and the language mama (nurturer/native speaker) begins describing the picture in their language,  some of these thoughts can go through our minds:
“Oh no, they’re using too many sentences on just this page.

Is she seeing the details of the illustration, because I’m pretty sure she just called the old lady a girl! 
The kids are getting bored and confused. They aren’t noticing any of the vocabulary they already understand. 
This book is too complicated. Now that I look at the picture, it has nothing to do with most of the text. 
Should I just read it out loud in English first?”


There’s a lot of trial and error involved in finding a good picture book that works for your kids AND second language learning with a language mama (or bilingual parent), but we’ve learned a few tips to quickly and efficiently narrow down the options so choosing a book doesn’t eat up a lot of your language session. 

Here's our guidelines for how to choose books that make great language learning tools for any language.  

  1. Simplicity: Clear illustrations and not too many words.
  2. Repetition: Similar themes, concepts and words repeated throughout the book.  
  3. Relevance to your child: It’s helpful if the language is meaningful for everyday life.  Colors/numbers/shapes and other academic themes don’t need to be the focus.  Action words, describing words, location words, everyday routines like bedtime or bath, and common objects/foods/people are great choices.  Of course, also pay attention to things your kids love!
  4. Relevance to your language/cultural context: If you know that there are concepts in the book that do not easily translate (e.g., the book “Pancakes for Breakfast” is based around cooking an American recipe that may be unfamiliar), or anything that is offensive (e.g., pigs in a Muslim community), then the book may not be suitable.
  5. Engaging for your child: I love books that are interactive for young kids (e.g., lift the flap) because it keeps them attentive for longer, and because they learn more when they are actively involved and having fun!  If the book isn’t naturally interactive, consider adding props or acting it out to make it more fun and memorable for everyone.
I’m sure as you read each point above, a few books from your own library came to mind.  Any given book may hit a few of these guidelines, but miss others. The key to choosing a really good book for language is finding one that fits within all five of the guidelines.
If you want a big list of my favorite children’s books which hit all these points, you’ll find that next on the blog!
If you want to know HOW to use books in language sessions with a Language Mama, we'll be posting about that soon!
Thanks for reading! I hope next time you have to pick out a book you’ll keep these guidelines in mind and then have a much more solid, productive second language session with your kiddos and Language mama.

​Rachel & Alyssa
1 Comment
Ric link
3/24/2025 10:57:18 pm

I just finished reading your blog post on choosing picture books for second language learning, and it was incredibly insightful and helpful! I learned so much about how to select books that can truly enhance a child's language acquisition journey. Your five guidelines for choosing books with clear illustrations, engaging stories, and repetitive phrases were particularly valuable. I especially appreciated the emphasis on cultural relevance and authenticity.

What I love most about your blog post is the way you address the challenges and potential pitfalls of using picture books for language learning. Your honest reflection on the 'trial and error' involved in finding the right books, as well as the importance of considering the child's individual needs and interests, was spot-on. I also found your offer to share a list of your favorite children's books incredibly generous.

Thank you for sharing your expertise and practical advice with us. Your dedication to promoting effective and enjoyable language learning experiences for children is truly appreciated, and I look forward to reading more from you in the future. Keep up the fantastic work!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    Elaine Thiessen 
    ​Christine Lewis
    Rachel Maynard
    Alyssa Johnson

    Archives

    March 2020
    February 2020
    March 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Books
    In Practice
    Language Learning For Children
    Language Learning Tools
    Language Mama
    Philosophy
    Relational Parenting
    Testimonials
    Your Story

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Resources
    • Building a Multilingual Home Course
    • Language Learning for Children Curriculum >
      • Coloring Book
    • LANGUAGE MAMA >
      • Language Mama Year 0 >
        • Language Mama Russian
        • Language Mama German
        • Language Mama Hindi
        • Language Mama Spanish
      • Language Mama Planner >
        • Planner Resources
    • Build Your Own Curriculum
    • Preschool English Lessons >
      • Argentine Spanish Lessons
    • Other Resources >
      • Arabic Resources
      • Hindi Resources
      • Bengali Resources
      • Serbian Resources
      • Dutch Resources
      • Mandarin Resources
      • French Resources
      • Latin Resources
      • Spanish Resources
      • Hebrew Resources
      • Greek Resources
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • PDF store