Sign Language Animations

Sign language can help children learn multiple languages by providing a visual and physical connection between words in different languages, helping them to understand that the words may sound different but have the same meaning. This can aid in building a foundation for multilingualism and cross-cultural communication.

Multi-kiddo books utilize engaging animations featuring children from around the world using American sign language to depict each word in the digital books. In the physical books, movement arrows are strategically placed to provide instructions for children to learn the sign language movements, further enhancing their ability to understand and connect words across different languages.

  • Our data suggest that ASL experience is beneficial for the development of English morphology and syntax, and provides support for the theory that the cognitive skills underlying sign language acquisition are transferable to other linguistic domains

    Morford, J. P., & Mayberry, R. I. (2000). A reexamination of "early exposure" and its implications for language acquisition by eye. Cambridge University Press.

  • The summative assessment data showed that students of all ages displayed a significant increase in their ability to recall new Spanish vocabulary words that were introduced with an accompanying sign in American Sign Language

    The Effects of Sign Language on Second Language Acquisition (2016). Itzel Mejia-Menendez
    St. Catherine University

  • Research has proven that prelingually deaf children and speakers of another language share many of the same problems / Sign language provides a bridge between their native language and English as their spoken language

    Sign Language: an effective strategy to reduce the gap between English Language Learners native language and English (2010). Sheryl Nicholson Emily Graves, PhD

Professional Audio Recordings

Exposure to audio recordings of native speakers can be an effective way for young children to learn new words and improve their pronunciation in a foreign language. Research has shown that even infants as young as 6 months old can successfully learn new words in a foreign language through exposure to audio recordings of a native speaker.

Multi-kiddo digital books feature professional audio recordings by native speakers that can be accessed by tapping on the flag icon. This allows children to focus on specific languages they want to learn or all the languages, and the recordings help to improve pronunciation skills while making language learning even more accessible and engaging.

  • Audiovisual materials allow learners to learn verbal and nonverbal language. / all the participants perceived audiovisual materials to be useful for learning Japanese

    The influence of audiovisual materials on listening comprehension skills in learning Japanese as a foreign language.. Kei Yamaguchi. University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Researchers and teachers alike have recognized the importance of using A-V materials to achieve goals related to meaningful and relevant communication, retention and recall of language items, non-verbal aspects of communication, and cultural awareness.

    Audiovisual Materials and Techniques for Teaching Foreign Languages: Recent Trends and Activities.. Parks, Carolyn

  • In foreign language acquisition, AV materials are effective in enhancing learners’ comprehension, retention, and production of new vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and discourse patterns.

    Flores, M. M., & Sterman, J. D. (2016). Audio-visual materials and activities for foreign language instruction. Hispania, 99(3), 405-419

pho·net·ics

Phonetics helps children learn new languages by providing a systematic way to understand and produce the sounds of the language, which is essential for accurate pronunciation and comprehension. By learning the phonetic system of a new language, children can improve their overall language skills and become more confident communicators.

Multi-Kiddo books provide a simplified International Phonetic Alphabet to make it easier to follow for kids and parents a-like. When using the physical books, the phonetic prompts make it easy to remember and pronounce even the most challenging sounds and words.

  • The results of the study showed that explicit phonetics instruction led to significant improvement in young learners’ pronunciation accuracy, indicating that the instruction focused on phonetics was efficient and beneficial.

    Kostić, A., & Janković, M. (2018). The effects of explicit phonetics instruction on young learners’ pronunciation accuracy. The Language Learning Journal

Engaging Illustrations

Illustrations play a crucial role in engaging young learners and enhancing their comprehension of a text. The visual representations can provide additional context to the words on the page, making it easier for children to understand and retain the information. Additionally, illustrations can capture the imagination of children, sparking their curiosity and motivating them to continue reading.

Multi-Kiddo has partnered with a talented artist to create engaging and colorful illustrations that perfectly complement the words being explored in the books. The illustrations not only help to engage young learners but also enhance their understanding of the words, making it easier for them to remember and learn.