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

Ricky Magee

A Moment That Changed Everything

Adult and child sitting on a couch reading a book together. The adult wears sunglasses on their head, creating a cozy and focused mood.

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

Child's drawing on paper with scribbled letters and abstract shapes. Letters read "SANTA AIWU", "NTURINT". Soft pastel background.

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

A person in a red shirt juggles icons and text on learning English. Includes phrases like "Building Vocabulary" and "Improving Writing."

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.


📬 Looking for more insights, strategies, and motivation?

Sign up for my newsletter or follow us on IG, FB or LinkedIn to get updates on interesting new blog posts, expert advice and practical tips to support your bilingual reader. Let’s navigate this journey together! 🚀📚




7 comments

7件のコメント


Irene RRE
2月07日

It´s so nice to know other people´s struggles raising bilingual kids and to know that eventhough it`s a challenge it´s possible to do it!

いいね!

ゲスト
2月05日

A very clear, concise and good summary of the challenges and rewards of helping our kids to be comfortable in reading and writing in English...I liked the part about teaching of culture through langugage, and the focus on making reading enjoyable...with all the alternatives out their in the modern age this is more important than ever. Keep up the good work Ricky!

いいね!

LouiseW
2月01日

Inspiring article Ricky...thank you.

I have learnt that it is those small steps of consistent daily practice that count and celebrating those magical moments of progress when they happen .....today my daughter was in the car with me. She had chosen to take a book with her and unprompted read aloud a simple story to me.

Today was a day of progress and recognition that this a wonderful journey to enjoy with our kids.

Thank you for the huge part you play .


いいね!

Estela Bayarri
2月01日

Very nice and motivating article, Ricky. When I think of little children learning to read, the first thing I really put the focus on is they need to love that moment. They need to love books and love being with their parents or caregivers in a cosy, safe and fun environment. So first step is actually to enjoy moments around books together. The rest will follow! :)

いいね!

Yoshito
2月01日

This highlights a real issue that multilingual children face! Learning to read in the school language, a foreign language and a home language is very different due to the space the language takes in the environment they grow up in and the space it takes in their hearts.


It's great to see such a method taking care, specifically about the needs of multilingual children - a method that is fun! I love the fact that you created a whole community for children! 👏👏👏


A wonderful journey so far! I wish you and Next Level English all the best for the future 👏👏👏👏👏

いいね!
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