Read with MEE

Great read here from the UK’s Literacy Trust on the power of play to boost early language…

“Play and language are completely intertwined, serving as the essential building blocks for children’s meaningful communication. Language enables us to communicate by representing things, feelings, actions and ideas with words. Words are symbols and signifiers of other things.

But before language comes play. Diverse and imaginative play enables children to build representational skills: a box becomes a hat, a boat or a box. This ability to use objects flexibly mirrors how spoken words represent objects and ideas.”

https://literacytrust.org.uk/blog/the-power-of-play-to-boost-early-language/?utm_campaign=4892833_Education+T%26R+EY+Playday+special+5/8/26&utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+National+Literacy+Trust&dm_i=7RFL,2WVC1,44AG0Z,7BARC,1,0,0,0&fbclid=IwdGRjcATfy9pwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzE3Mzg0NzY0MjY3MDM3MAABHjoxXIVg9ISlWPQ5eg8nOueoDvy79vu8bT7rpR_JQTrNUf0-QQoYNKjhkqyE_aem_fj8vDUX97qY7DYrkXCcEWA

The power of play to boost early language | National Literacy Trust A year-round approach to fostering the power of play will significantly boost children’s early language skills. Hear from our Head of Early Years, Tracy Jackson OBE as she explains more about the importance of play, its correlation with improved literacy development and the role different forms of...

We are very pleased to invite you to our next free webinar on 24 September! Join us to hear about a range of useful resources on multilingual literacies in the early years 🙌📚🌟

Register at the link below ➡️

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9DhBQoQKS_ONDGvaoIxqDQ

How creative play supports heritage languages in the classroom How creative play supports heritage languages in the classroom Celebrating the completion of our 'All Together – Gach le Chéile' project. We are delighted to share the completion of our latest collaborative initiative, All Together – Gach le Chéile. Developed by Mother Tongues’ Director Fern...

Celebrating progress! 🎉

Our colleagues in Fryslân hosted a local celebration of the progress made during the Read with MEE project over the past two and a half years. In one of the schools that participated in the project, representatives from schools, daycares, libraries and other organisations came together.

📚With the focus on early multilingual reading, Prof. Joana Duarte spoke about the importance and examples of collaborations with parents and caregivers.

🌟 Frisian children's book ambassador Linda de Haan spoke about the importance of quality texts and books in the regional language Frisian.

Different products and initiatives that were developed in the region (both within and outside of the project) were shared and discussed with each other, but there was also time get to know each other and exchange thoughts about the project's topic. It was a successful afternoon which has hopefully laid a foundation for future collaboration and exchange within the region!

NHL Stenden Fryske Akademy Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Frans Hiddink Laura Nap Doaa AH Meertaligheid & Geletterdheid

A very inspiring article shared here by Mother Tongues on the impact of creativity and play in an early years programme.

Why multilingual arts workshops matter for young children Why multilingual arts workshops matter for young children What a new evaluation reveals about Mother Tongues’ Language Explorers Early Years programme What happens when children are encouraged to explore language through storytelling, art, music and play — without pressure, correction or the exp...

⭐️ Good news! Our Read with MEE Handbook-INC is now available in Basque, Frisian and Dutch!

🙌 Presenting key findings on multiliteracies in Early Childhood Education and Care, our handbook is presented in plain language, shares new ideas from the research, and suggests actions to take in classrooms and at home.

🧭 www.readwithmee.eu

🤩Just launched! Check out our new interactive reading game at our project website www.readwithmee.eu 🥳

Promoting the power of story-book reading, and the importance of adult/child interaction in the reading process, this simple but powerful digital reading game will pull children into a world of fun and discovery.

The Read with MEE game about Spike and Snail offers a shared reading experience in 10 languages and promotes interaction between children and adults as they explore the story together.

Created by the Read with MEE team representing NHL Stenden and 8D Games in Fryslân, TCD School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences in Ireland, and the University of the Basque Country.

The power of reading amplifies everything! How great to read about this really special graduation ceremony in a Dublin bookshop 👏

Today we have a graduation ceremony in the bookshop, which is obviously the correct place to graduate from!

We were delighted to welcome the Trinity Access Programme back to Chapters for a very special celebration with 6th class students and their TY mentors from Drimnagh Castle Primary, Drimnagh Castle Secondary, Blakestown Community School and Scoil Mhuire Senior.

The programme brings TY students into primary schools to use reading, books and literacy to support 6th class students as they get ready for the great emotional obstacle course that is moving to secondary school.

Today, they came to Chapters for a mini graduation ceremony, a tour of the shop, goody bags and a brilliant “how to choose your book” workshop with Becky Long from Children’s Books Ireland.

Basically: certificates, shelves, recommendations, young readers, older mentors and only a small number of adults pretending not to get emotional.

This is exactly the sort of thing we love. A bookshop should not just be a place where books are sold. It should be a place where readers are made, encouraged, welcomed and occasionally let loose with a discount.

Huge congratulations to all the students and mentors, and thank you to Trinity Access Programme, Children’s Books Ireland and the brilliant schools involved.

Come back any time. Preferably with book opinions. We love book opinions.

Trinity Access Programmes

Join us for our next webinar launching the new Read with MEE interactive reading game! Zoom link below, please register in advance. It will feature contributions from team members from 8D Games, NHL Stenden and the University of the Basque Country.

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lfvlsG5rTiCoCHdWIGRZhQ