FOR PARENTS · AGES 5–11
Reading at home in two languages: a guide for bilingual families
Keep reading in your home language too. The DfE encourages reading in a child's first language as well as English, and you can help with English school books by talking about them in any language.
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Keep reading in your home language. It's what the DfE advises, and it doesn't hold back your child's English. This guide explains how home-language reading fits with English school books, what to do if English isn't your strongest language, and when to ask the school for help.
By the Litsee team · Last reviewed · About this guide
The short answer: keep reading in your home language
The DfE's tips for parents are clear: “If English is an additional language, encourage reading in a child’s first language, as well as in English. What matters most is that they enjoy it.” (DfE). The NHS agrees that growing up with more than one language “can be an advantage to children in their learning”, and adds: “Knowing another language will help the development of their English. The important thing is to talk to your child in whatever language feels comfortable to you.” (NHS).
Bilingual children are often keen readers. In the National Literacy Trust's research, “Nearly 3 in 5 (56.4%) multilingual young people said that they enjoy reading in their free time - higher than the percentage of their monolingual peers who say this (46.3%).” (National Literacy Trust).
Your language, the school's language: who reads what
- You read to your child in the language you're most at home in: stories, rhymes, the books you grew up with. This is where the love of stories comes from.
- Your child reads to you from the English school book. You don't need perfect English to listen, encourage and talk about it.
- Dual-language books, with the same story in two languages, let you share one book in both. BookTrust and the National Literacy Trust both point families to them (BookTrust, National Literacy Trust).
BookTrust puts it simply: “Families who speak another language are encouraged to talk and share books with their children in their home language as well as English”.
Using English school books when English isn't your first language
In the first years of school, the book your child brings home to read is usually matched to the sounds they've learnt, so they can work out the words themselves. Your job is to listen and talk, and you can talk in any language:
- Look at the cover and pictures together first, and talk about them in your language.
- Let your child read the English words; praise the effort, not just the accuracy.
- Afterwards, ask them to tell you the story in your language. It shows whether they understood it.
- If there's a word neither of you knows, use the picture, or look it up together.
The DfE's reading framework notes that “Some pupils, especially those who speak English as an Additional Language, need more explicit teaching of vocabulary, including through the use of visual images.” (DfE reading framework). Pictures and talk at home help with exactly that.
Talk about any book, in any language
- What can you see in this picture?
- What do you think will happen next?
- How is he feeling? How can you tell?
- Has anything like this ever happened to you?
- Which part did you like best?
- Can you tell me the story in our language?
Say these in whichever language you like. From litsee.com/guides/reading-in-two-languages
Phonics sounds and your accent
English schools teach reading through phonics, and each programme teaches children to say the sounds in a particular way. Ask the teacher for the school's guide to saying the sounds, or a video, and follow that when you practise. It's fine if your accent is different. Our phonics at home guide explains the words schools use.
“My child answers in English”
Many parents find that once school starts, their child starts replying in English. Keep speaking and reading in your language anyway. Some families find these help: a regular time for home-language stories, books from family or friends, and video calls with relatives who read to them.
Learning to read in a second script: before, alongside or after?
Some families want their child to read and write in the home language too, especially where it uses a different script, such as Arabic, Urdu or Chinese. We couldn't find clear UK guidance on the best time to start, so we won't invent a rule. Some families start with talking and shared stories, and add home-language reading when the child shows interest, sometimes through a community or weekend school. Tell your child's teacher what you're doing, so school and home can support each other.
EAL or a reading difficulty? When to ask
What “EAL” means. You may see EAL, English as an additional language, on school forms. The DfE explains: “A pupil is recorded to have English as an additional language if they are exposed to a language at home that is known or believed to be other than English.” It adds: “This measure is not a measure of English language proficiency” (DfE). So the label says your family speaks another language at home, not that your child's English is weak.
It's normal for reading in a new language to take time. Action for Children notes that “If your child speaks more than one language or has only just started learning English, it might take longer to notice they are having problems with reading and writing.” It also says: “If your child is dyslexic, the signs will be noticeable in all languages they use.” (Action for Children). So if your child finds reading hard in every language they use, or is getting upset about reading, talk to the class teacher and the school's SENCO. Our guide to signs of reading difficulties explains how to raise it.
Questions parents ask
What does EAL mean on my child's school record?
English as an additional language. The DfE records a pupil as EAL if they are exposed to a language at home other than English. It isn't a measure of how well your child speaks English, and on its own it doesn't say whether they need extra help.
Should I read to my child in my home language?
Yes. The DfE's own tips for parents say to encourage reading in a child's first language as well as in English, and that what matters most is that they enjoy it. The NHS says knowing another language will help the development of their English.
Will reading in two languages confuse my child?
The UK guidance we've read doesn't suggest it will: the NHS calls growing up with more than one language an advantage to learning. If you're worried about your child's reading in English, talk to the class teacher, who sees how they read at school.
How can I help with English school books if my English isn't strong?
You can still help. Let your child read the English book to you, ask about the pictures and the story in your own language, and praise the effort. Talking about a book in any language builds understanding. Ask the school if they have dual-language books too.
Could my bilingual child have dyslexia?
Possibly, as any child could. Action for Children notes that it may take longer to notice reading difficulties when a child speaks more than one language, and that if a child is dyslexic, the signs will show in all the languages they use. Talk to the school's SENCO if you're worried.
Sources
- 10 top tips for parents to support children to read Department for Education, 16 July 2020, updated 25 April 2022, checked 3 November 2026
- Help your baby learn to talk (how to help your bilingual child) NHS, reviewed 26 April 2023, checked 3 November 2026
- The reading framework Department for Education, July 2023, updated 22 September 2023, checked 3 November 2026
- Multi-language booklist National Literacy Trust, 13 August 2025, updated 14 August 2025, checked 3 November 2026
- How we're supporting children with additional languages on their reading journeys BookTrust, undated, checked 3 November 2026
- Child dyslexia: signs and diagnosis Action for Children, undated, checked 3 November 2026
- Schools, pupils and their characteristics, academic year 2025/26 Department for Education, 4 June 2026, updated 16 October 2026, checked 3 November 2026
About this guide
Written by the Litsee team and checked line by line against the sources listed on this page.
We quote UK sources only. The evidence on when to start reading in a second script is limited, and this guide says so. It has not yet been reviewed by a specialist in English as an additional language.
Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email info@litsee.com and we will fix it. Last reviewed: .
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