Early learning / First language promotion

Research on speech competence has advanced greatly in the last few years. The results show that the ability of children to speak develops before they utter words. This development occurs slowly, like a seedling growing into a tree. A little tree needs nourishment, light, water and warmth; children need security and linguistic encouragement from their parents or constant principal caregiver. They should speak to the little ones in the language they are closest and best accustomed to. Security and familiarity in speech has a positive effect on the entire development of the child and strengthens its identity. It is important that the principal caregiver always uses the same language.

• Many studies show that security in the first language is an important prerequisite to learn a further language.
   
• Security in the first language needs careful nourishment and encouragement. To nourish the variety of a language, to increase and strengthen the vocabulary, a child needs stimulation, which can be provided by verses, songs, stories and picture books.
   
• Children that have had a variety of linguistic stimulation and grown up surrounded by stories and picture books, find it easier to learn to read and write. This clearly shows that learning to read starts before literacy in school.
   
• The intercultural libraries respond to this new knowledge and requirements, but also to the experiences with users. It is also important that parents and principal caregivers (linguistically) who interact with children advance their own language, which is often not obvious when living in a different linguistic environment. The range of books provided by the intercultural libraries therefore covers the different languages of the foreign-speaking community visitors, not only for children and adolescents, but also for adults, as parents are naturally the reading role models. At the same time, the libraries work in close collaboration with the project Family Literacy. Interbiblio has reached service level agreements from which the intercultural libraries profit and support their work in this field.