Today is one of my favourite days of the year – World Read Aloud Day – and I want to share a story with you. Admittedly, I am a nerd and have been fond of reading aloud since I was around five years old. It all began with my grandfather, who patiently taught me how to read and made reading aloud a daily ritual for us. We spent countless hours reading aloud to each other – sharing stories and discussing them. We read in both Bulgarian (our native language) and Russian (because he was fluent and wanted to teach me) and he always translated for me. Little did I know that these early experiences would ignite my lifelong passion for languages and instil a deep love for books in me. That’s what I mean when I say that reading aloud has the power to nurture life-long readers. I started back then and, well, I haven’t stopped.
Last year, I wrote a post on the importance of reading aloud in bilingual homes and this topic is as valid today as it was then. Simply because the benefits are countless and reading aloud is still one of the best tools for parents raising children with more than one language. It nurtures the love for reading, supports home language development, improves comprehension and listening skills, provides access to a much wider variety of literature and expands vocabulary. These are just a few of the incredible benefits it brings to both children and adults alike.
And because I am so fond of this activity, personally and professionally, I would like to share a recent read-aloud experience, centered around a Dutch tradition, known as Sinterklaas. Now, you might be wondering why I’m discussing a December tradition in February. But let me explain – because it is a wonderful example of how reading aloud can also create connections, going beyond language barriers and cultural differences. I would like to share a story of how reading aloud provides not only home-language practice, but also opportunities to dive into local traditions and use translanguaging as a bridge to understanding.
As mentioned, this tradition revolves around Sinterklaas, a figure similar to Santa Claus but with some unique characteristics. Picture him as bishop-like figure with a long white beard, a red robe and a mitre. He is believed to arrive in the Netherlands from Spain by steamship in mid-November, accompanied by his numerous helpers. Sinterklaas and his crew are famous for their kindness and generosity toward children. Traditionally, he visits Dutch towns and cities on his white horse, parading through the streets, and children gather to see him. Families celebrate Sinterklaasavond (Sinterklaas evening) on December 5th, when children place their shoes near the fireplace or a window, hoping that Sinterklaas will leave them gifts and treats. But one of the most significant aspects of the Sinterklaas tradition is the exchange of gifts and poems. Names are drawn and poems are written for each other, often incorporating humour and teasing into the verses. These poems are usually accompanied by small presents and are meant to be read aloud during the celebration.
In late 2023, my family and I had the pleasure of joining the wonderful Annebet from New2NL for one of her famous Sinterklaas parties. It was a lovely celebration of this cherished Dutch tradition aiming to acquaint a few international families with local customs and traditions, bring them together, ultimately easing their integration into Dutch society. A fantastic endeavour that carries the great potential of supporting children (and their parents) to also learn the local language. (Take a look at our previous blog posts on this topic – “Local Language or Not?” and “Mobile families: How important is the local language?”). Each child was paired with another and tasked with selecting a small gift and writing a personalised poem for them. These poems were inspired by information about their buddy’s hobbies, interests, family and friends, which us parents had provided beforehand. When the moment arrived, each child reached into a large bag, picking their gift that had a poem attached to it. What made this experience truly special was not just the unwrapping of presents but the moment when each child stood before everyone and read their poem aloud.
This was quite a diverse group of children, from all over the world, each of them speaking different languages at home, yet all sharing a common one — English. We all gathered in a circle and each child was eager to hear their creation being read out loud all the while keeping in mind that they will not give away the secret who wrote which poem. The children were all different ages – some older ones were excellent readers and read their poem effortlessly, giggles and all. Others were still on their learning journey, taking their time to decode the words, receiving a lot of patience and support, which empowered them to embrace their own pace. My four-year-old daughter, unable to read herself, found her voice with the help of her eight-year-old brother, but took the spotlight afterwards, pretending to read aloud herself, empowered and feeling just as capable as the older children. The kids who were shy and didn’t want to read in front of everyone, received support by their parents. Everybody loved it – they laughed at puns, clever wordplay and the creative ways everyone had used language to make it rhyme.
An often overlooked but crucial aspect of celebrating this tradition was the bonding experience it offered between a child and their parent, to varying degrees. In my case, my eight-year-old son and I wrote not only his own poem but also the one his younger sister had to submit. It was such fun! We looked at the information we had about each child we were writing for, carefully selected key words and phrases, constructing what we called “the skeleton” of the poems. We sat together, playing with the words, while laughing and trying different combinations in an effort to make the lines truthful yet funny. We explored different metaphors, played with language while navigating twists and turns. These endeavours sparked great conversations about the intricacies of language and various cultural references. We wrote these poems in English and steered the process using Bulgarian as our main language together, employing translanguaging at home at its finest.
At the heart of this experience was a group of children (and parents, of course), each with their own unique linguistic repertoire, coming together to celebrate a cherished local tradition. Through the exchange of gifts and the reading of poems, they not only celebrated their shared language, English, but also embraced the diversity of their backgrounds. In the end, it wasn’t just about the poems that were read aloud—it was about the stories created and the connections that were built through these stories. This was a celebration of family, culture and the power of language.
Participating in this local tradition transported me back to my own childhood, to my grandparents’ house. It brought me back to the time when, at the age of five, I would read aloud with my grandfather every day – reading, laughing, elaborating and explaining. And there you have it – the incredible power of reading aloud!
Resources for World Read Aloud Day (and beyond):
