By Hannah White, EAL Specialist Teacher

World Book Day is a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the joy of reading - and all languages count! It’s an important time to include our multilingual learners so they see their languages and stories are represented and valued in school.

As Marijke Rivers‑Andries reminds us, “A parent reading a story in their home language can be transformational for a child’s sense of belonging.” When we make space for every language, we send a powerful message: your language belongs here, your family belongs here, your stories matter.

Below are practical, classroom‑ready ideas to ensure World Book Day celebrates all readers, especially those learning English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Why multilingual inclusion matters

Research shows that continuing to develop literacy in a home language strengthens a child’s English learning, builds metalinguistic awareness, and boosts confidence (Cummins, 1982; Conteh, 2015). Dual‑language books also help create a sense of belonging and support comprehension through visual cues and familiar vocabulary. When children see their identities reflected, they engage more deeply - both linguistically and emotionally.

Practical ways to make World Book Day inclusive

1. Invite families to share stories

A parent reading in their home language can be incredibly validating.
You might:

Invite a family member to read a favourite story in their language.

Ask children to bring a book from home to share (with an adult or peer translator if needed!).

Record families reading and play clips throughout the day.

Classmates don’t need to understand every word, witnessing multilingualism is the important thing. Listen out for key words, and let the class enjoy the rhythm and sound of the language alongside the images. Don't be afraid to go beyond books here: oral stories, poetry, recipes and faith stories are all worth exploring!

2. Make space for multilingual texts

Stocking your book corner with dual‑language or multilingual books allows children who use EAL to see their languages reflected and encourages all children to explore stories in different scripts and cultures. Even if you haven’t got any budget you can order dual language books to read to your class from your local library or access 100’s of online multilingual stories at https://worldstories.org.uk/ or https://www.globalstorybooks.net/

I recommend looking at https://www.mantralingua.com/. The Bell Foundation has lots of good activity suggestions and information on using dual language books to develop literacy.

3. Use well‑known, repetitive stories

Repetitive structures help EAL learners join in confidently. Some classics include: Dear Zoo, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, I want my hat back and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

Why not read one of these in another language to your class? Or invite another member of staff or a confident child to read it in a language that they speak. Pre-teach the whole class a few pieces of key vocabulary in the language being used (use your EAL pupils as helpers here!) and let pupils:

Hold up /point to and object or do an action to show understanding of the key words when they hear them in the story

Join in with repeated phrases

Act out scenes

Predict what happens next

4. Compare books across languages

Show children that stories travel across cultures. Try:

Sharing English and home‑language versions of the same story

Comparing covers, character names, or translated titles

Talking about similarities and differences

This builds cultural curiosity and normalises multilingualism.

5. Connect stories to curriculum themes

ou don’t need to create a whole new plan—simply link books to existing topics. Some of these books are available in many languages other than English, why not give them a try:

Handa’s Surprise → fruits and vegetables

Dear Zoo → animals

Brown Bear → colours

Go Away, Big Green Monster! → parts of the face

6. Celebrate identity through writing and art

Let children create:

A dual‑language bookmark

A mini‑book in English and their home language

A poster about their favourite book from home

Where needed, an adult can transcribe their home‑language ideas.

Inclusive World Book Day

When teachers embrace multilingual stories, they are not just supporting EAL learners academically - they are affirming their identities and showing the class that multilingualism is an asset. A truly inclusive World Book Day helps every child feel seen, valued, and excited about reading.

Some World Book Day favourites of mine are:

Hello World! Greetings in 42 Languages Around the Globe by Manja Stojic

Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders

Where Are You From? by Yamile Mndez.

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold.

Book Fiesta by Pat Mora and Rafael Lopez

C’est un livre by Lane Smith

References:

Marijke Rivers‑Andries https://everylanguagelearner.co.uk/2026/02/27/world-book-day-lets-celebrate-every-language-on-the-page/

https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/great-ideas/dual-language-books/

https://primarylanguages.network/jlnblog/world-book-day-in-primary-languages-lessons

http://lisibo.com/2018/02/spanish-books-for-world-book-day-wbd/