How Our Son Went from Struggling to Read to Loving Books: A 4-Year Literacy Journey

A Moment That Changed Everything

Four years ago, I had a moment that hit me like a ton of bricks. I have always been very passionate about reading to our kids. It has been a way for me to share my language, culture and build closer connections.

As a mixed-language family, we had carefully supported our children’s early reading in their school languages (Catalan & Spanish), but our eldest son still struggled with reading in primary school.

Then one day, when I asked my son to help me read one of his favourite stories, then just 6 years old, he looked up at me and said, “But Daddy, I can’t read in English” 🥺

At that moment, I realised—it wasn’t just about reading. It was about his relationship with language, his future, and my role in helping him succeed in a multilingual world.

Since our little redhead was born, my Spanish father-in-law had always asked, “How will you teach him to read and write in English?” At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the weight of that question. But as my son’s struggles became clearer, I realised I couldn’t wait for school to catch up. His love of learning and literacy was on the line, and I needed to act fast.

The Challenges of Learning to Read and Write as a Bilingual Child

As I looked deeper into my son’s struggles, it became clear that his school's methods and materials weren’t addressing his needs.

With my extensive background in both ESL education in Spain and British KS1 and KS2 support in the Middle East, I understood the differences in approach—but what became clear was that our son, as a bilingual learner, needed something more.

Many traditional ESL methods focus on vocabulary and grammar, while phonics programmes in English-speaking countries assume full immersion in English. Neither fully accounted for the unique challenges of a child growing up navigating multiple languages. He needed a stronger foundation in phonemic awareness, reading skills designed for bilingual learners, and, most importantly, an engaging way to develop confidence in reading and a love for books.

As a trilingual family, we needed an approach that didn’t just teach reading but nurtured his multilingual identity and built his confidence in English.

Creating a Solution: The Birth of Next Level English

At first, my focus was simply on helping support our children's journey. I explored different methods, adapted phonics approaches, and found materials that truly worked for bilingual learners. But as I shared what I was doing with other families, I realised we weren’t alone—so many multilingual children were facing the same challenges.

That’s how Next Level English was born. What started as a way to guide our children quickly grew into a programme designed for bilingual families and those who wanted more than just textbook English.

I focused on:

✅ Selecting engaging, level-appropriate materials

✅ Using phonics methods adapted for bilingual learners

✅ Making reading a joyful experience through games, discussion, and storytelling

✅ Connecting with other children who shared similar gaps in their education

✅ Encouraging a multilingual identity so children could navigate between languages with confidence

And it worked!

From Struggling to Confident Reader

Fast forward four years, and our son, now 10, has just finished his entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid box-set of 12 in English and is asking for the next in the series! He loves reading—not just in English, but in all three of his languages, and is incredibly proud of his progress. And so he should be!

That’s exactly what I set out to create—a space where kids don’t just learn to read, but develop a lifelong love for reading. Where they develop confidence, vocabulary, and creativity through books, conversation and interactive learning.

What This Journey Taught Us

Helping children read is only the beginning—our goal is to raise readers who are confident, curious, and engaged with language. Bilingual and multilingual children need more than phonics and decoding skills; they need the tools to comprehend, express, and connect with the languages they speak.

Through our experiences raising and supporting multilingual families , we’ve developed a programme designed specifically for the needs of bilingual learners. We focus on:

✔️ Building strong literacy foundations – phonics, spelling, and comprehension strategies that make English reading accessible.

✔️ Developing confident communicators – storytelling, writing, and discussion that help children use English naturally and expressively.

✔️ Celebrating multilingual identities – fostering a love for English without diminishing the importance of their other languages.

This is what the last four years have been about:

💡 Not simply helping children read better, but empowering them to thrive as multilingual learners—curious, confident, and excited about literacy in all its forms.

Stay Connected & Keep Learning

💬 I’d love to hear from you—what has your experience been like? What challenges have you faced in supporting your child’s English literacy?

📩 Drop a comment, share your journey, or let me know what topics you’d like me to cover next.

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