By Tamsin Clare

A Bilingual Approach to Young Interpreters Training

This week we ran a Young Interpreters training session in Four Forest Luzern with a group of children, supported by our German DAZ teacher, who helped translate and lead parts of the session in German. Although the programme is designed in English, we are committed to delivering it through a bilingual approach, making the learning more accessible and meaningful.

Learning Through Stories and Expression

We began with a story activity led by our admissions officer, Kim. She first told a story in Afrikaans, keeping her expression flat, her hands folded, and using little body language. The children’s reactions were mixed—some looked confused, others giggled uncomfortably, and a few admitted they felt strange or uneasy hearing a story in an unfamiliar language. Some children explained that they tried to use the languages they knew to guess the meaning of a few words.

Kim then told the story again, this time with gestures, voice emphasis, and facial expressions. The difference was immediate—most children raised their hands to say they understood the story much better. Together, they pieced it together using both the words they recognised and the clues from Kim’s actions. This led into a discussion about the role of a Young Interpreter. One boy observed that “you can use your body and actions to communicate—you don’t always need words.” We talked further about using voice, tone, and facial expression to convey meaning.

What Children Discovered through Bluey

The children then watched part of a Bluey episode (“Camping”). Bluey is a popular Australian animated series for children that playfully explores themes of friendship, family, and learning together. In this episode, Bluey makes a friend who doesn’t speak her language. The children noted that the characters still managed to play and communicate—through actions, joining in games, and even drawing pictures in the mud. They loved this idea and suggested it could be a useful strategy for a Young Interpreter.

Role Play and Real-Life Scenarios

Next, the children practised role play scenarios, exploring what they could do in different situations to help someone new. At the end of the session, we asked them to reflect on the key skills and tools they had learned. Their responses included:

  • Using the languages they know to translate or make links (one child connected Afrikaans to Dutch, his home language).
  • Using real objects, drawings, and gestures to explain.
  • Listening carefully and trying to understand the other person’s perspective.
  • Being kind, patient, and attentive.
  • Using facial expressions, hands, and body language to support communication.
  • Using creativity and problem-solving to find ways to connect.

Perhaps the most powerful reflection came from a Grade 1 child, who summed it up beautifully:

“You need to use your heart and your head. Your heart to be kind and want to help, and your head to use your languages and problem-solving to work out a way to communicate.”