ERVING — Young children, some just beginning to speak, are learning they can do so in more ways than one through Erving Public Library’s weekly Bilingual Story Time and Playgroup sessions.
Hosted by Spanish language educator Tierney Sodders, the sessions, held each Wednesday from 10 to 10:45 a.m., allow kids to play while Sodders reads children’s books in beginner-level English and Spanish.
“This under-7 age is really the prime time to be introducing another language to children to allow them to soak it up so they can learn a language in a more immersive environment,” Sodders said.
Erving Public Library Director Abigail Baines said the idea to hold bilingual reading sessions came at the suggestion of Sodders. By that time, Baines said, the library had received many requests from parents for a children’s story time program. Seeing the concept as a way to both meet these requests and promote multilingual practice, the program was launched on July 20 and has since amassed a small group of regulars who enjoy learning a new language.
“Even when we have a small crowd,” Baines said, “the families that are here are all in.”
Sodders said she has found the children who attend story time to be enthusiastic listeners, while also being high-energy kids with a desire to play. Northfield resident Beth Emberley, who attended storytime on Aug. 10, was all smiles as she watched her three children listen to Sodders and play with the library’s popular kitchenette set.
“Manzana?” Sodders prompted, pointing to a fruit.
“Apple!” responded 4-year-old Leah.
Sodders, too, wore a smile throughout the morning.
“They’re just a fun group in general,” she said of the children. “They’re very curious. They’re not afraid to ask questions.”
Sodders said she has observed her sessions paying off outside of the library, too. She recalled seeing one family, who had attended her sessions, at the park speaking to each other in Spanish. Sights like this, she said, are encouraging due to how it might impact children’s social interactions as they grow.
“I think that basic intro of a language, you never know if it’ll help you with your community members,” Sodders said.
“We started checking out some Spanish words and they’ve really enjoyed learning different words and using them at home,” Emberley said of her three children, adding that she was “surprised” and “didn’t know if they would pick anything up.”
Baines said this program is expected to run for as long as families show interest. Should it see enough success, the library might look to expand its bilingual offerings, she added. Baines said she is interested in the idea of performing arts-related bilingual programming, but also welcomes suggestions from the community.
Emberley expressed confidence that children who attend the program — or at least her own — will continue taking to the learning opportunity with a youthful vigor.
“Kids don’t know what ‘hard’ is yet,” she said. “They just learn.”
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.