Yes, Babel Babies is a multilingual programme, but that's not to say that children can learn infinite languages simultaneously, or that a smattering of lots of languages is enough if there isn't at least one language learned to an age-appropriate...
There is so much confusion around mixing languages, and it worries me that parents and children are often left feeling ashamed of this very natural, normal, and creative by-product of bilingualism.
Mixing languages is a stage in the process of language...
Who doesn’t love a pancake? Whether you’re a savoury or sweet pancake-lover, ‘Pancake Day’ is celebrated around the world in many iterations. The tradition has roots in Christianity and enjoying a final indulgence before Lent...
Over my 20 years as a languages teacher, and the last ten years running Babel Babies, I've heard countless adults tell me they are 'rubbish at languages' and hope they can help their children skip this problem by starting them early.
Let's be clear: if...
I often hear people saying 'the earlier the better' when it comes to learning languages. But it's a more complex issue that needs some unpacking, rather than a universally applicable statement of fact.
A really important thing to consider when thinking...
We did it! We published the Multilingual is Normal book, an anthology of sixty voices, talking about talking, in just one month from launch on 10th July to publication day on 10th August 2020!
This was my first foray into book publishing, and I learned...
Don't you love hearing about how people got hooked on languages? About the funny times when words went wrong, the little moments when it was pure joy to hear the words coming out of your mouth, and the incredible stories about languages saving the day....
I am still learning.
I quote this all the time (it’s attributed to Michaelangelo, who apparently wrote it on a sketch when he was 87 years old…) but am I really learning? I mean, sure, I’m about to start a Masters in Applied...
Babel Babies is reading, quizzing and singing for local hospitals because they are doing such amazing work for our community!
This Bank Holiday weekend we organised Babelathon: a fundraising event for two local hospital charities in Bristol and...
As I write this in a café whilst on a post-Christmas holiday in Paris, I’m listening to my three children play with the words on the menu – making observations about how café is the same in English, and crêpes has a...
The future of communication is never certain, and we can’t just ignore the fact that phones and screen of all kinds are here to stay. Communication has always been constantly changing: change is the one constant! But now phones are not just a...
From January 2020, we will be taking a little sabbatical from running weekly Babel Babies and Bambinos sessions in Bristol and Cheltenham. It has been a whirlwind few months, with our multilingual method gaining attention from education policy makers...
