Using Multilingual Verses in Class

Teaching Strategies & Activities

• The "Whole-Class Listen and Learn": Introduce the rhyme by first playing a recording of a native speaker. This provides an authentic model for pronunciation and rhythm. Encourage children to simply listen, without pressure to join in. Alternatively, encourage children to bring a rhyme or verse from home, positioning them as experts, and encouraging parental engagement.

• The "Visuals First" Approach: Use gestures, props, or simple visuals (like a flannel board) to teach the meaning of the rhyme before introducing the new language. For example, for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," you can use a star prop and twinkle your fingers. This allows children to grasp the concept, which makes learning the words easier. Work with children to identify the key words in a verse, leading to meaningful discussions about linguistics and language understanding.

• Getting to Know the Verse: Start with simple repetition, breaking the rhyme down into short phrases. Encourage children to repeat after you (or a child who speaks the language!) in a call-and-response format. This reduces the cognitive load and builds confidence. You could also try clapping to specific syllables, following any rhyming patterns.

• "Language Detectives": Ask students to look for similarities between languages. For example, does "mother" (or its variant, informal forms)  sound similar to a word in their language? Can they find words in the text that are repeated a lot? Can they work out words based on context? Do they have a “favourite word”? This builds metalinguistic awareness.

Things to Look Out For

• Authenticity is Key: If possible, ask a parent, a native-speaking colleague, or use an online resource with a verified native speaker to get an accurate pronunciation. We hope to include recordings for as many rhymes and verses as we can on this site.

• Avoid "Tokenism": Don't use a single rhyme once and then move on. Incorporate multilingual rhymes regularly and naturally into your daily routine to show that these languages are not just a special event, but a valued part of the classroom culture. Normalising multilingualism is a key concept to enable children to feel that all parts of their identity are welcome at school.

Inclusion of Different Scripts

• Visual Representation: If the language uses a different script (e.g., Arabic, Cyrillic, or a pictographic script like Chinese), display the rhyme or verse if you can. This helps children see their home language in print and introduces other children to new writing systems.

• Celebrate the Characters: Point out the shapes and characters of different scripts. You can turn this into a fun visual recognition game.

• Transliteration: Provide a transliterated version (e.g., writing the Arabic sounds in the Roman alphabet) to help English-speaking students and staff participate, but always show the original script as the primary representation.

Performing the Verse: Bringing the Rhyme to Life

Once the children are comfortable with the rhyme, focus on performance to deepen engagement and joy. Use a variety of expressive tools: varying the pitch of your voice, changing tempo, and incorporating dynamic movements. Clap on syllables, and compare how different languages “flow”. Encourage children to use their bodies and facial expressions to act out the meaning of the words. Simple props like scarves or puppets can make the experience more theatrical and memorable. This performance element transforms the rhyme from a simple linguistic exercise into a shared, joyful, and creative experience that reinforces a sense of community and collective celebration of diversity.

Language Analysis: Deeper Connections

For slightly older children or as an extension activity, use the multilingual rhymes to explore the structure and sound of language. Highlight the rhythmic and phonetic features of the rhyme. For example, ask questions like, “What sounds do you notice in this language that we don't have in English?” or “How does the beat of this rhyme feel different from the beat of a rhyme you already know?” This is also a great opportunity to explore grammar and syntax. You can ask children to compare word order, verb forms, or sentence structures across languages. This analytic approach elevates the activity from a simple exposure to a deeper inquiry into the science of language itself, empowering children to become active investigators of the linguistic world around them.

For more pedagogical advice, see: http://all-literature.wikidot.com/advice 

You can also access an easily printable Google Doc version of this document here.