Just before the parents’ evening, Kafeya Mohamed, a multilingual instructor of the daycare centre, was feeling nervous.
She was involved in organising an event for the children’s parents where they would be told about the work done by the daycare centre to improve reading skills. There was no common language because most of the parents did not speak Finnish.
The nerves dissipated soon after the event started. Interpreters helped Mohamed communicate with the parents.
“There were five interpreters. They sat next to the parents in small groups and interpreted what I was saying. The parents’ evening was interpreted into Arabic, Somali, English, Farsi and Dari.”
Mohamed paused occasionally and waited for all the interpreters to finish interpreting her words. She showed images that everyone understood on a flat screen TV.
Although there was no common language, there was a common goal. The parents had gathered at the daycare centre to consider how the children’s reading skills could also be supported and strengthened at home.
The feedback for the parents’ evening was positive. Mohamed has offered to brainstorm similar events for other daycare centres in the area, and some events have already been agreed on.
Nursery rhymes, letters and numbers
Supporting literacy and language development is one of the main objectives of Daycare Kurki. There are many families in the area whose home language is not Finnish. More than half of the children at the daycare centre are from families where Finnish is not the mother tongue.
Mohamed, who started as a multilingual instructor at the daycare centre in May last year, works to develop the children’s language skills.
“I support the adaptation of children from a foreign background in particular, and act as a link between the daycare centre and families.”
The methods she uses in supporting literacy depend on the age group she is working with. The youngest children in the daycare centre are only a little over a year old, so the instructor reads, recites nursery rhymes and plays with them. With pre-primary education-aged children, the focus is on practising school skills, such as letters and numbers.
“My primary task is to get children of all ages excited about using language. We want to support the learning of both their mother tongue and Finnish, as the two support each other.”
Finnish as a common language
Born in Somalia and raised in Kenya and India, Mohamed moved to Finland at the age of five. She makes use of her mother tongue in her work by occasionally holding reading sessions in Somali for the children at the daycare centre who know it. It feels familiar and safe to the children.
“At first, though, the children laughed because they hardly ever hear the Somali language outside their home.”
When there are children in the group who do not understand Somali, Mohamed speaks only Finnish. The children may come and ask her something in Somali, and they often also speak it with other children.
“We encourage parents to use the child’s mother tongue at home to strengthen their first language. At the daycare centre, however, we strive to ensure that, when there are others present who communicate in different languages, we use one common language – Finnish.”
Working in a multilingual environment often requires improvisation. Sometimes they read non-verbal books, where the children can create their own stories based on the pictures. At other times, an audio story familiar to the whole group plays in the background of other activities in different languages, from Arabic to English and from Finnish to Somali.
Celebrations at the library
The Kontula-Kurki Early Childhood Education Unit is involved in making Helsinki the capital of reading and literacy. For this purpose, the daycare centre works in close cooperation with the library.
They borrow blooks from the local library, make excursions there and visit the library for story hours.
Together with the local library, the unit has developed different ways to inspire children’s groups to read. At the moment, there is an ongoing reading challenge that Mohamed thought up and the library was happy to join in. The challenge motivates children to listen to stories by having them invent different reading styles together with an adult.
“For example, our groups have listened to books lying down under a table, wearing beanies or in torchlight. The children have been excited to be able to influence the course of reading sessions,” says Mohamed.
Once the reading challenge has been completed, it is time to celebrate. At the library’s events, every child receives a reading diploma.
Mohamed also informs the children’s parents about the library’s activities and opportunities. In fact, many parents have applied for their first library card after a parents’ evening at the daycare centre.
“They have been pleasantly surprised to hear how many different languages libraries offer books in. Libraries also have their own Celia system, which supports the equality of reading and learning and is intended for people from an immigrant background, among others.”
Quality time for children and adults
In Kafeya Mohamed’s opinion, at its best, reading is quality time between an adult and a child. It offers closeness with a safe adult and adventure in the world of imagination. At the same time, it expands the child’s vocabulary, concepts, knowledge and skills.
“Books and stories also allow children to explore different cultures and environments. Reading increases tolerance.”
Mohamed believes that the best way to inspire a child to read is through the example of an adult.
“Reading is not a boring chore but a pleasant moment together. The adult’s attitude affects how the child begins to feel about books and reading.”
Mohamed also likes to relax with a book. At home, she reads in Finnish and English and listens to audio books in Somali.
Meaningful work
Katja Nyman, the Deputy Director of Daycare Kurki, enjoys her work in the multicultural environment. She sees on a daily basis how important it is for children to feel that they belong. They learn to work together even if they do not have a common language at first.
“Reading together every day increases the sense of unity. Literature can also be used to learn emotional and friendship skills. Early childhood education prepares the child for the school path.”
Kafeya Mohamed also enjoys her work, where the best thing are the children.
“Children are genuine and clever. They come up with great ideas. Every day, I learn patience, listening skills and the ability to live in the moment from the children.”
Mohamed feels daily that she is doing meaningful work. It is rewarding to see children’s language skills improve and their worldview expand.
“After story hour, the children often ask when we will read again.”
Text:
Eveliina Lauhio