Areefeh Abo Aish and Natalie Abo Aish. Areefeh reads Arabic and her daughter Natalie reads English. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Kathrine Pop Gomez, Elena Gomez, and Jefferson Caal Gomez were partnered together. As students read a page from a book in English, their parent read from an identical book in another language. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Student Doulce Orellana Cruz and teacher Lisa Melo. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Areefeh Abo Aish and Natalie Abo Aish. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Mt. Hope students Eva Colaj Aj, Zachary Neale, Camilla Ramirez Juc, Ariel Vierira, Kim Nguyen, Mirna Reyes Hernandez, Dulce Orianna Cruz and Lisa Melo (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Eva Colaj Aj, Anna Remerez Juc, and Commella Remerez recited books in their native languages. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District) 
Luis and Azul Ortiz took turns reading to the class. (Photo Courtesy Bristol Warren Regional School District)
BRISTOL — Superintendent Ana C. Riley and Principal Christine Hughes are pleased to share that Guiteras students and parents recently participated in a Multilingual Guest Readers Event.
The Guiteras Multilingual Guest Readers Event was held on Thursday, June 8 at Guiteras Elementary School.
The event served as a fun way to get multilingual families involved, give them a space to share their culture and heritage with students, and make a connection to the community.
Throughout the event, guest readers including six parent volunteers and seven Mt. Hope High School students took turns reading to Guiteras students, in their native languages.
This is the second year that Guiteras Elementary School and Mt. Hope High School have partnered together for the event.
“It is so great for students to be exposed to other cultures and languages. What an amazing day!” said School Social Worker Erin Raposo.
The books for the event were previously purchased by Guiteras Multilingual Coordinator Laura Berard, one written in English and the other written in the family’s native languages.
Students and parents were partnered together to read to the class. As students read a page from a book in English, their parent read from an identical book in another language.
Additionally, Guiteras students listened to Mt. Hope High School students read aloud from books in their native languages including Spanish, Arabic and Portuguese.
“Our Mt. Hope student guest readers served as great role models for success in learning a new language,” Berard said. “I think it was incredibly valuable for our students to see and hear from students not much older than them who have such a strong grasp of multiple languages. They also felt a sense of pride for being acknowledged for their hard work and the special gift of speaking 2 or more languages.”
“It was so empowering to watch the families share a book in their native language, while their child read the English text,” said Special Educator Nancy Patalano.”The look of pride on both the family member’s faces, as well as their child’s face was priceless. Also, the discussion about what it is like to speak a language, but not understand English, was empowering. The students were listening, asking questions, and making connections with their guest readers.”
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