"The promotion of multilingual education is an important foundation for children with a migration background and new immigrants to acquire a high level of language skills," says Carola Baaten-Abdulsalam, founder of Manaasil Lernwelten.

Interest in reading and storytelling can already be developed at the pre-school age, which makes it easier to enter school. "Our bilingual support scheme aims to build up these skills." Linguists agree that the promotion of family and native tongue languages in day-care centers and schools is also important. This is also firmly anchored in the city's integration concept, said Baaten-Abdulsalam. Both projects are financed by the city's integration department, the association's own contribution and participant contributions. The feedback from the two day-care centers, in which about ten children participated in the program, is positive.

The management of the city' s language pre-schools Lindstraße and Spilckgasse also evaluate the offer as positive, responds Kristina Buchmiller from the press office. It values the Arabic mother tongue of many children. A very high proportion of children with an Arabic background are cared for in the facilities. Multilingual picture books, songs, finger games, verses and games have been used to promote their language development and text comprehension. The parents are also involved. "A prerequisite was, however, that the children also understand the German language," Buchmiller said.

Barbara Ludwig-van Liempt, head of the Rheinaue daycare center of the Studierendenwerk, also reports very positive experiences with the project. The little Arabic singing game as a welcome, the reading aloud in Arabic and German, as well as handcrafts and games appeal to the interests and age of the children. Even children whose mother tongue is not Arabic were easily able to quickly repeat Arabic words. Unfortunately the project was too short, says Ludwig-van Liempt. It would be even more effective to offer language support twice a week for two months.

In the Awo rooms, language teacher Maysa Bader can, on the other hand, take a very intensive approach to the program for children up to five years of age, which runs until June. Here too, the children have very different levels of language skills, she reports: "Those with little knowledge of Arabic are now able to formulate Arabic sentences.”

A three-year-old participant, who does not have a place in a day care center, can now actively participate in the group. The little one understands instructions in German and Arabic and can reproduce dialogue contents as well as stories herself, Bader is pleased. "Each child is individually supported according to their needs and abilities," adds initiator Carola Baaten-Abdulsalam. "And parents are advised on how best to support their child in both languages."

(Orig. text: Ebba Hagenberg-Miliu / Translation: ck)