Celebrating International Mother Language Day: The Importance of Reading and Writing in Our Mother Tongue

 

 

Learning to read and write in our mother tongue is very important because it provides a strong foundation for all future learning. When children learn in the language they speak at home, they understand ideas more clearly and confidently. It enhances their thinking skills, improves communication, and helps them express their feelings and thoughts naturally. Reading and writing in the mother tongue also help preserve culture, traditions, and values, passing them from one generation to the next. Most importantly, it gives children a sense of identity and pride in who they are, making learning joyful and meaningful.

 

Celebrating International Mother Language Day – February 21

On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, Pratham House, along with StoryWeavers, initiated a wonderful reading program for children. All the Reading Champions gathered to read books to children in their mother tongue, making the celebration truly meaningful.

Along with Levinika, Tanishq, Kavinesh, and Tarunesh, we enjoyed reading two delightful Tamil books — Pallikivanda Kaygarigal and Tok Tok. It was truly a pleasure reading in our mother tongue and seeing the joy on the children’s faces.

 Pallikivanda Kaygarigal

Author: Venkatramana Gowda
Illustrator: Padmanabh
Translator: S. Jayaraman

This 17-page book keeps children engaged till the very end. The story beautifully imagines vegetables coming to school with bags on their backs — not just root and fibre vegetables, but green leafy ones too! The other children and teachers warmly welcome this unique group. The illustrations speak vividly on every page, making the story lively and captivating.

 Tok Tok

Author: Vidya Pradhan
Illustrator: Reshma Barve
Translator: N. Chokkan

This 18-page book creates excitement and suspense as children try to discover where the mysterious “Tok Tok” sound is coming from. The thrill keeps them guessing and on their toes until the final page.

Pratham and StoryWeavers provided a wonderful opportunity to explore their rich collection of books and encouraged children to read any book of their choice in their mother tongue. The translated books were child-friendly, using simple and commonly used words, which made comprehension easy and enjoyable.

I conducted this session on February 6th itself as part of the celebration, and we captured some memorable photos and videos from the event.

It was indeed a heartwarming experience celebrating the beauty of our mother tongue through stories and shared reading.