Partnerships
Working on education and youth welfare Although our home base is firmly in the Frisian clay, we have built up a large network of international cooperation partners in recent years….
Strengthening multilingual literacy in early education
Can a creative intervention enhance literacy?
8D is design partner in the international Read with MEE consortium, dedicated to advancing knowledge and skills in inclusive and multilingual literacy, with a particular focus on early education (ECE). The consortium creates interactive and engaging reading activities that empower teachers and parents/caregivers of young multilingual children to actively apply new insights.
Strengthening multilingual literacy: why is it important?
Multilingual children often face unequal educational opportunities, as their full linguistic repertoire is rarely recognized or supported in the classroom. Additionally, some parents stop using a (minority) mother tongue at home out of concern that it might hinder their child’s proficiency in the national language. However, research consistently shows that multilingualism typically has positive effects.
The European Read with MEE consortium seeks to address this gap by expanding knowledge on the topic and developing practical tools for use in ECE. In collaboration with experts, the partnership identifies best practices and creates tangible resources to help caregivers fully utilize the linguistic repertoire of young multilingual children. 8D contributes as a design and implementation specialist.
Approach
The consortium takes an integrated approach, focusing on making the knowledge and insights gained during the project practical and applicable. 8D is tasked with developing a multilingual story designed for adults and children to read together.
The content and structure of this intervention will be informed by findings from the consortium’s research activities, including regional roundtable discussions, a best practices handbook, and video interviews with experts. This approach aligns with our mission: to make theoretical knowledge accessible in a way that actively engages the target audience and delivers lasting impact.
Results
This project is still under development. Visit the project website to view the key milestones. Follow Read with MEE on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. Read with MEE is funded by the EU under the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships program. The consortium includes Mercator European Research Centre – Fryske Akademy (lead partner), NHL Stenden, 8D (Netherlands), ATiT (Belgium), Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), and the University of the Basque Country (Spain).
