Multilingual Cafe

The community in Newham is highly diverse with many residents speaking more than one language. We are a Multilingual borough. Many families are not sure how to support their children with their home languages, often neglecting it in their eagerness to help their children learn English. Research shows that having a good understanding in your first language will support the development of your new language. Therefore, parents and families need to be equipped with this knowledge and practical ideas with how to apply this.

The Multilingual Cafe will provide a multi-layered approach in providing families a way forward with their languages. The proposed project aims to create a welcoming and inclusive space that celebrates and promotes linguistic diversity and encourages cross-cultural interactions among families, community members and professionals. A place where languages are celebrated and given an equal platform, and literacy skills in other languages are used to support their understanding and acquisition of English.

• Bi/Multilingual Support-We would like to create a space where parents/carers can learn from experts on the best ways to support their child when they use multiple languages at home. Providing them research and advice from experts, and giving them confidence in using their first languages.
• Multilingual library for children- Sourcing high quality language books/bilingual books for families to promote and encourage their love for reading. To share these books with libraries in Manor park to encourage biliteracy and pride in languages. Parents/volunteers can join in our regular Multilingual Story time where stories will be shared and books will be read to children in all the languages represented in our borough.
• Language Café- Parents, Carer's and community members can share/support each other and learn about services and support in this area creating links and sharing best ways forward to support home learning/school work.
• Multilingual Hub- Training sessions will be offered to educators in the borough by Specialists in the field from UCL, London Metropolitan and Reading University alongside Kensington Primary school's Specialist Lead in Education for Multilingualism.

We would like our community to realise the strengths that their languages bring with them, using this to enhance education, happiness and wellbeing for all!