Mother Tongues' Articles
Language Explorers Workshops: Fostering Home Languages
When bilingual children hear their family language spoken outside of the home, they develop a positive attitude toward their own...
Read MoreOpen call: residency for artists in South Dublin County
Mother Tongues is pleased to announce the launch of our new artist residency as part of South Dublin Cultural Diversity...
Read MoreInternational Mother Language Day 2023
This year's edition of International Mother Language Day focuses on the theme ‘multilingual education - a necessity to transform education’.
Read MoreShould you raise a bilingual child?
Instead of telling you why bilingualism is a lifelong gift that should be encouraged, hear from the children themselves.
Read MoreCelebrate Multilingualism!
Creativity, multilingualism and community building are themes we will discuss at this year’s opening event for Mother Tongues Festival.
Read More12 Family Fun Activities to spark child creativity and expression
Check out the many family activities at this year’s Mother Tongues Festival, celebrating linguistic diversity through the arts!
Read MoreMother Tongues Festival 2023 Programme is LIVE!
Mother Tongues Festival is around the corner (16-18 February 2023 in Tallaght), and now, we can FINALLY share the entire...
Read MoreA Sneak Peak into Mother Tongues Festival 2023
Leading up to Mother Tongues Festival 2023, we are excited to present our Language Explorers workshop series with Fernanda Ferrari!
Read MoreFive tips to involve EAL parents in their children’s education
Parental involvement in their children’s education can take many forms and be different experiences for each parent.
Read MoreAn Exciting European Project!
In October Mother Tongues were delighted to participate in the first Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus Project “BABO: Bilingual And...
Read MoreCorrection doesn’t work!
All children who are developing two or more languages need to feel that the adults in their life appreciate their...
Read MoreChildren are like little sponges…or are they?
Is there fake positivity towards being bilingual? We have polled parents about their experience of raising bilingual children
Read MoreHow do you create an environment that welcomes all languages and cultures?
How do you create an environment that welcomes all languages and cultures? How do you support the development of two...
Read MoreBuilding a Strong CV – Intercultural Network of Artists
The workshop will focus on building a CV and biography that can, potentially, help to convince an evaluation panel that...
Read MoreLanguage Explorers facilitator training and work opportunity
Train as a Language Explorers facilitator and work with young children and their families in a creative and multilingual way!
Read MoreNew pilot programme on multilingualism
New pilot programme on multilingualism to be funded by RTÉ Late Late Toy Show Appeal 2022 A pilot project bringing...
Read MoreFree creative family workshops for children 3 & 4 years old
The Language Explorers multilingual workshops have a strong focus on bringing high-quality art and creativity experiences to 3 & 4-year-old...
Read MoreIt takes a village to raise a bilingual child
For years migrants have been told not to speak their language to their children or to prioritise the language of...
Read MoreA multilingual arts festival… are we mad?
Festivals are unique cultural moments that provide the opportunity to experience something together as communities.
Read MoreEvery day can be International Mother Language Day!
Celebrate International Mother Language Day in schools all over Ireland this February! We chose the theme of the Language Garden.
Read MoreThe unique emotional power of your mother tongue
We can use different languages, but your mother tongue is charged with a unique emotional power, particularly if it’s a...
Read MoreMultilingualism makes children strong: Let’s save language diversity!
Teachers tell me they are really impressed with the level of engagement of the students, learning and exploring new languages...
Read MoreWhy bother exploring language with young people?
When I asked the young people why they think we should do multilingual workshops, one young person said “to create...
Read MoreHow teachers can use linguistic diversity to everyone’s advantage
Language Explorers is designed to raise awareness of linguistic diversity in the classroom and to promote an interest in language...
Read MoreThe amusing life of a bilingual family
I'm Polish, my husband is Irish and our daughters are bilingual. I knew from the beginning that I’ll be using...
Read MoreLearning Together Education Network
Teachers and early years practitioners are invited to take part in a network focused on supporting migrant children and families.
Read MoreWe are the map – Free Art Workshops
Mother Tongues and Rua Red are offering a series of free art workshops where groups and individuals can meet up,...
Read MoreHow to juggle three languages in the house
How can we pass these onto our children without overwhelming them? What will be their identity and how will their...
Read MoreParents as a resource for multilingual classrooms
Our programme Language Explorers has been selected as one of the most impactful innovations for the HundrED Spotlight on Parental...
Read More5 reasons to visit Mother Tongues on Culture Night
Join us for Culture Night! Mother Tongues will be showcasing the Interactive Museum of Languages for Young Audiences (IMLYA).
Read MoreLanguages open up a world that you never knew existed before
Pass on your language to the next generation no matter how much they protest, they will thank you eventually!
Read MoreMother Tongues selected for the Social Entrepreneurs Impact Award
We are delighted and honoured to share that Mother Tongues has been selected as a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Impact Awardee 2021/2022!
Read MoreBuild on your summer progress
My daughters love attending heritage language classes, which are very dynamic and creative, with a learning by doing approach.
Read MoreSupporting Multilingual Classrooms, ECML national training workshop
Supporting Multilingual Classrooms, ECML national training workshop. 27th & 28th September 2021 2pm-6.30pm
Read MoreEngaging children with literature in their home language
For non-English speaking parents living in Ireland, reading to their children in their home language might be a challenge
Read MoreHow many languages are spoken in your class?
Our classes are really multilingual, and as teachers it is important to understand how to make the most of the...
Read MoreInteractive Museum of Languages for Young Audiences
The Interactive Museum of Languages for Young Audiences (IMLYA) is a touring interactive exhibition for primary school children.
Read MoreOur top 9 books pick on World Book Day
Children who read regularly or are read to by their parents develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge, have higher...
Read MoreLanguages are not a privilege
I am so thankful to have all the languages I do in my life along with some idea of phrases...
Read MoreWe’re Launching the Mother Tongues Festival Programme!
Today, in celebration of Ireland's rich artistic and cultural tapestry, we are excited to share with you the programme for...
Read MoreGetting children to love, live and improve their mother tongue
These months away from school may have given families the chance to boost their home languages and we hope that...
Read MoreBilingual families in lockdown
Many bilingual families across the world find themselves in lockdown. And as a result, schools are closed and children are...
Read MoreRaising bilingual children…is it really that easy?
How many times did you think “I’m too tired, I will give up, this is not worth it”?
Read MoreA safe space for teachers in Ireland to discuss bias, privilege and racism
The act of listening is perhaps the most underrated skill there is in education. Right now teachers are multi-tasking: teaching,...
Read More4 easy tips to plan your language strategy
We are in the middle of one of the most challenging times for our society. Parents of young children, with...
Read MoreOur Trip around the world
In January 2021 300 children from Irish primary schools travelled the world with Mother Tongues and with true locals...virtually of...
Read MoreGetting children to talk more in the heritage language
If you have small children and you’ve made talking in the minority language with your child a habit from the...
Read MoreWhy should I pass on my mother tongue to my child?
When I see Alba having full (three-year-old) conversations in Spanish with my mother on videocalls or with any Spanish speaker...
Read MoreEnd of Year Reflection: Celebrating our 2020 Highlights
2020 has been a rough year for many. At Mother Tongues, we had to pull together as a team and...
Read More2020 Heritage Language Education Conference
On November 20 and 21, Mother Tongues in Dublin, Ireland, and Móðurmál - the Association on Bilingualism in Reykjavík, Iceland,...
Read More“Un cane da wohnt vicino Haus” or the funny side of bilingual parenting
Years ago, at university when I was studying speech therapy, I attended a class about bilingualism. We had to read...
Read MoreOur journey through Italian
I have learned that a positive attitude is a key and by saying that I mean me maintaining my positive...
Read MoreHours of fun… learning about languages!
Learning about languages is an adventure. And sometimes the biggest adventures can happen right from the comfiest spots in our...
Read MoreWithout the ability to read, a child’s world is very limited
It is the necessary to engage in almost every activity. However, it doesn’t stop there.
Read MoreThe importance of reading books
Children in Ireland spend an average of 5 hours & 40 minutes in school which is relatively low compared to...
Read MoreDevelop Your Child’s Mother Tongue from Home with our Online Heritage Language Classes
Often, as parents living abroad, we think we should concentrate our efforts on the language of the majority. While we...
Read MoreWhat have I learned over 5 years of raising a bilingual child in Ireland?
I have learned that a positive attitude is a key and by saying that I mean me maintaining my positive...
Read MoreSpeaking many languages is amazing!
I believe both me and my husband are eager for her to start reading and writing in these languages as...
Read MoreMother Tongues, the podcast
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language...
Read MoreThe gift of a second language
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language...
Read MoreIs bilingual education possible for children with additional language & communication needs?
We often get asked by parents if it is a good idea for children who seem to struggle with language...
Read MoreWhat will I read next?
When my first child was a baby I mostly sang songs to get him to sleep, but as soon as...
Read MoreGetting children to love, live and learn their mother tongue
It's back to school time again. This time things are a little different, and many of us parents are concerned...
Read MoreShould we speak more than one language to our child?
Should we speak more than one language to our child? If you speak more than one language at home, you...
Read MoreStand with refugees: a reading list for children
Stand with refugees: a reading list for children To mark World Refugee Day, each year UNHCR and Children’s Books Ireland...
Read MoreThe silver lining of pandemic in 2020
News and updates from the Dublin School of Mandarin Chinese. Read this blog by school director Evan Furlong to find...
Read MoreDiscover world cultures from your home!
Discover world cultures from your home! I am the mother of three young children, and spend a lot of time...
Read MoreMore drama please!
More drama please! The power of role play I never cease to be amazed at children’s role playing skills. I...
Read MoreHanging out with very young children
Hanging out with very young children Getting language into the mix with 2 to 3 year olds These days of...
Read MoreHaving fun with your mother tongue: ideas for 6 to 10 year olds
Having fun with your mother tongue Ideas for 6 to 10 year olds Children go through enormous changes between the...
Read MoreMusic and bilingualism in babies and toddlers
Music and bilingualism in babies and toddlers Since the earliest days of life bilingual children can distinguish familiar voices and...
Read MoreIt’s time to work on your mother tongue!
It’s time to work on your mother tongue! Boost your child’s language skills during this forced isolation Due to COVID-19,...
Read MoreLanguage Unleashed: The Power of Poetry in Embracing Your Mother Tongue
“A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language.”- WH. Auden When it comes...
Read MoreWhat should I do if my bilingual toddler doesn’t talk much?
Facts vs Myths The most common question parents ask us concerns late talkers and bilingualism. I am going to say...
Read MoreAre we wasting our time with home languages?
Parents of bilingual children often tell me that the reason why they moved to Ireland is for their children to...
Read More“To have another language is to have another soul”
Languages are the key to a better understanding of Cultures or at least, that is how I see it. The language we speak shapes...
Read MoreCommunication and relationships
We are a small family of three. I am a French mother living in Dublin since my teenage years, and...
Read MoreMy family’s adventures in bilingualism
We are a French family. A mum, a dad and three girls. All born in France, we settled in Dublin...
Read MoreThree key tips to keep your mother tongue alive after the Summer holidays
For many families, Summer is the time for giving their home language a boost. Children are out of school and...
Read MoreMother Tongues festival shortlisted for prestigious European Award
Mother Tongues Festival is the only Irish Festival to be shortlisted for the prestigious EFFE Award from the European Festivals Association in collaboration...
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