Demonstrating the benefits of mother tongue preservation for Arabic-speaking families

LENA Start is a parent education program for care givers of children 0 to 33 months old to demonstrate the benefits of preserving one's mother tongue and importance of talking to children in their native language, from birth. Tailored for Arabic speaking families, this iteration of the LENA Start program aimed to empower parents and transform language practices by supporting Arabic language exposure, building social capital, and providing resources for addressing sociopolitical challenges. Through bilingual and cross-cultural facilitators, the program enhanced accessibility and inclusivity for participants, fostering a trusting learning community among Arab mothers and facilitators during the program. In addition to the training, researchers held focus group discussions with the participants.

Participants reported increased communication and reading with their children post-program, highlighting the program's effectiveness in fostering a sense of belonging and embracing bilingualism, despite systemic barriers. The research underscores the importance of holistic approaches in parent education programs for marginalized communities, advocating for qualitative methods that address families' social, political, and cultural realities.