Bilingual Initiatives

Family Literacy Initiatives: Bilingual Initiatives

The Bilingual Initiatives of the Minnesota Humanities Commission provides leadership, resources, and programs that help recent refugee and immigrant groups develop literacy skills that recognize and develop the heritage language resources in Minnesota, and promote the importance of books and reading as the entryway to academic excellence and appreciation of the humanities.

For more information on how you can be involved in these initiatives please contact Kathleen Moriarty, 651-772-4246.

Hmong Translation Inititative
The Hmong Translation Initiative is a multi-year family literacy project aimed at increasing literacy for Hmong children and their families. This initiative includes the translation and publication of high-quality children's literature into White Hmong and Green Mong. In addition, it provides specialized training for Hmong educators and social service providers to conduct classes using the translated books. The Humanities Commission has also developed "Tips for Reading with Your Children" that are available in multiple languages, including White Hmong and Green Mong.

In early 1998, members of the Hmong community encouraged MHC to coordinate these education and literacy efforts. The Hmong community has provided valuable assistance in the book selection and translation review process.

All books can be ordered through the Finney Company by calling 952-938-9330 or 800-846-7027 or by mailing in an order form. The list price is $6.95 per title. At this time, seventeen titles have been published. See the books for yourself. See related upcoming events.

Somali Bilingual Intiative
According to the latest census numbers Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in North America. Somali immigrants are not unlike Hmong refugees in that both of their languages have only recently existed in written form - the Hmong language since the 1950s, and Somali as of the 1970s. Both groups have been forced to adapt to a highly literate and technological culture with little support in advancing literacy in their native language. The ability to become literate in the home language is a significant variable in determining whether an immigrant or immigrant community can achieve literacy in a new language.

The overall goal of the Somali Bilingual Initiative is to advance family literacy opportunities that will positively impact the literacy levels of Somali immigrant and refugee families.

Through this initiative the Minnesota Humanities Commission will publish Somali folktales in Somali-English bilingual children's books. The Humanities Commission expects to be preparing books for publication in 2005. The Somali Bilingual Initiative will also include the coordination and promotion of existing bilingual Somali literacy resources, development of audio/visual resources that can support the use of the Somali-English children's books in the home, and development and coordination of workshops on teaching Somali parents about the importance of books and reading.

For more information about this initiative contact Kathleen Moriarty at 651-772-4246 or check the literacy events page for upcoming related events. See also a list of bilingual Somali literacy resources and Tips for Reading with your Children in Somali.

Initiatives for Spanish-Speakers
A wealth of Spanish bilingual children’s books and other resources are available for use in literacy classrooms. The Humanities Commission offered two workshops in Fall 2004 to help professionals connect to these resources.

Motheread®, Inc. and the California Council for the Humanities have developed Angel's Kite, a list of children's books that are rooted in the culture or history of Spanish-speaking people. All the books in the list are printed with bilingual text and are available in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

In addition, the Humanities Commission's "Tips for Reading with Your Children" is available in Spanish.