Seven Reasons Children Should First Learn to Read in their Home Language

Children should learn to read in their home language first because it helps them develop a strong foundation for reading and learning other languages: 

• Transferable skills: Reading skills developed in a child's first language can be applied to other languages. 

• Cognitive development: Learning in a child's mother tongue helps build a strong foundation for cognitive development. 

• Communication skills: Learning in a child's mother tongue improves communication skills. 

• Emotional connection: Learning in a child's mother tongue helps children connect emotionally with their learning environment. 

• Engagement: Learning in a child's mother tongue makes education more engaging and enjoyable. 

• Dropout rates: Learning to read in a child's mother tongue helps reduce dropout rates. 

• Performance in a second language: Children who learn to read in their mother tongue perform better in a second language. 

What other reasons can you think of? Please comment!

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Sources:
Antonique Dick, "Why Children Should Learn in their Mother Tongue," Save Our Seas Foundation, February 21, 2024.
Maddie Matsoff,  "The Importance of Home Language Literacy," Read Naturally, October 6, 2022.
Oxfordshire County Council, "The Importance of Home Languages," accessed September 12, 2024.
Idhries Ahmad, "Learning in the Mother Tongue is the Best Start to Education," UNICEF India, February 21, 2024.
Andrew Ofosu-Dankyi, "The Importance of Learning to Read in My Mother Language," World Vision, February 16, 2017.
Jason Weaver, Alison Marie Grimsland, and Fatim Lahonri Diabagate, "Learning to Read in a Language Children Understand," September 19, 2023.

Literacy is a Right, Not a Privilege

If you are reading this, you are privileged. It’s not that you are privileged to read this particular post, you are privileged because you can read. But reading should not be a privilege. Reading is, or at least should be, a fundamental human right.

In the powerful documentary The Right to Read (https://www.therighttoreadfilm.org/), Kareem Weaver is asked why reading is so important. His response (and I am paraphrasing) is, “What if you lived in the Stone Age and had no stone? What if you lived in the Bronze Age and had no bronze?” This is the reality for hundreds of millions of people in the Information Age who lack the most essential tools needed to participate in modern society - the ability to read and write.

International Literacy Day (September 8) is a timely reminder that literacy remains out of reach for hundreds of millions. It is estimated that over 750 million people aged 15 and older can not read. This is not just their problem. It is ours.

The World Bank estimates that “in low- and middle-income countries … an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds [are] unable to understand a simple written text.” Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure stood at “just” 59%. Entire generations are being left behind.

Illiteracy further raises barriers to healthcare, economic participation, legal protections, and climate change adaptation. Illiteracy tends to be significantly higher among women and girls, adults and children with disabilities, and speakers of minority languages. Vulnerable populations are made even more vulnerable because of illiteracy.

For over twelve years, SIL LEAD has worked to uplift minority language communities through mother tongue-based literacy and education programs. We have been privileged to support the efforts of USAID, AusAid, UNICEF, the African Development Bank, the InterAmerican Development Bank, and others to promote literacy worldwide, particularly for minoritized languages. It is fulfilling and meaningful work, but sometimes it feels like the task is too great and that people who CAN read don’t really care about those who CAN’T.

Do you recognize the privilege you have as a reader? If so, how will you use that privilege? Do you agree that every child should be given the opportunity to learn to read and write? That reading is a fundamental human right?

The work of organizations like SIL LEAD has never been more vital. Helping children and adults learn to read and write, first in the language(s) they speak at home and then in the language(s) of broader communication in their country, promotes equity in our increasingly complex, tech-driven world. As we are just beginning to see the impact of AI on technology and communication, we can only wonder how much wider the gap will become between those who CAN and those who CAN’T read and write.

Literacy opens doors to better health, education, legal protection, economic prosperity, adaptation to climate change, and self-determination. This International Literacy Day, I challenge you to do whatever you CAN to make literacy a right rather than a privilege.

SIL LEAD to partner with RTI in the Reading for East Africa’s Development (READ) program

PRESS RELEASE
April 26, 2023

SIL LEAD is thrilled to announce its support of the Reading for East Africa’s Development (READ) program in partnership with RTI International, which has been awarded as a holder of the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Please read RTI’s press release here.

The READ program aims to improve access to quality education for children in eight East African countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, by reducing barriers to education, improving classroom equity, and increasing learning opportunities.

“SIL LEAD is honored to have been selected by RTI as a partner on its bid,” said Christof Weber, SIL LEAD’s executive director. “We hope to provide technical expertise and support wherever we are most needed, particularly in the areas of early grade reading and writing instruction, curriculum development, teacher training, and, if needed, language mapping and analysis.”

Through sociolinguistic research, SIL LEAD works with local experts to help determine the languages used by children, schools, and communities to inform programmatic decisions. SIL LEAD is uniquely qualified to address issues of African language linguistics, orthography, and reading, and can provide language and reading scope and sequence support. SIL LEAD also supports the development of local language supplementary reading materials using Bloom, a tool that simplifies the process of developing new books, including non-fiction and informational texts, and promotes disabilities inclusion with features like Sign Language and talking books.

SIL LEAD's expertise in teaching and learning materials development helps to ensure that pedagogical approaches and content are appropriate for the targeted population of learners. SIL LEAD can also support teacher training and community engagement using a community-based literature development approach, to better understand vital social issues and develop materials that align with them.

Programs under USAID’s READ IDIQ will seek to improve foundational skills in reading. SIL LEAD recognizes the critical importance of such skills for continued retention in school and success in future grades and beyond. SIL LEAD is, therefore, very excited to partner with RTI International and USAID to improve access to quality basic education and student learning outcomes in East Africa.

About USAID: USAID leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people progress beyond assistance. Working in over 100 countries, USAID’s work advances U.S. national security and economic prosperity, demonstrates American generosity, and promotes a path to recipient self-reliance and resilience. Learn more at www.usaid.gov

About RTI: RTI International is both a global research institute and a leading international development organization. We combine these powerful capabilities with those of our partners to co-create smart, shared solutions for a more prosperous, equitable, and resilient world. Learn more at www.rti.org/idg_education

About SIL LEAD: SIL LEAD, a subsidiary of SIL International, seeks to see people flourish in community using the languages they value most. We advocate, build capacity, and work with local communities to apply language expertise that advances education and meaningful development. Learn more at www.sil-lead.org and www.sil.org.