The balance of Spanish and English child-directed text in bilingual picture books

Abstract

Bilingual picture books offer rich sources of dual-language input, but little is known about how different types of books provide opportunities for children’s learning across languages. Building on research describing Spanish-English Codeswitching books (which present languages intermixed), we assessed the quantity, diversity, and complexity of input in Translation picture books (which included the full text in both languages) and compared the two types of books. Translation books included balanced use of English and Spanish and varied in the frequency of switching. Across both book formats, English input was similarly complex, but Translation books presented larger amounts and more complex input in Spanish. Additionally, the two types of books included frequent yet different patterns of language switching, offering dense exposure to an important feature of bilingual experience. Thus, bilingual books could provide children with input distinct from what they encounter in either spoken language or reading activities in a single language.