BOOKS IN COMMON

Linguistic traditions are an important component of cultural heritage, and a vital link to identity and expression. This program is sponsored by a generous grant from Art In Common (https://artincommon.org/)

We are collaborating with Bridgeport, CT public school teachers to create materials that meet their classroom needs. For a middle school program, English learners will write and illustrate a series of short books that focus on customs, traditions, daily practices of their culture and places they have lived. These books will be written in both English and a heritage language of the student author. They will be used to help introduce new students to the class and to teach students about life in different countries and cultures.

Additional ways to share stories are currently in development.

BILINGUAL STORYTELLING: CLASSROOM BENEFITS

Benefits for the English Language Learner:
·      Affirm to students that their cultural heritage, including linguistic traditions, matters
·      Allow students to demonstrate acquired knowledge by sharing their lived experiences
·      Provide familiarity in a bewildering environment

Benefits for native English-speaking students:
·      Appreciate differences and similarities in life around the world
·      Create a reciprocal learning relationship: as we help arrivals adapt, we learn from them, too
·      Promote compassion by showcasing the challenges and resiliency of those who leave behind the familiar