FLC launches The Ribbit-Ribbit Pond on Int'l Mother Language Day

Free Linguistics Conference (FLC), an international organization of language and education, has launched a multilingual illustrated e-book for children titled The Ribbit-Ribbit Pond in 27 different languages on 21st February.

The program began at 12:00 PM local time with the recitation from Al Mahmud’s “Ekusher Kobita”. The host of the event Sami Hossain Chisty, director of FLC and the coordinator of this project and also the Bangla translator of this book, spoke about the significance of International Mother Language Day. He then introduced the book and all 27 translators from different countries.

Afterward, the book was read in four languages including Spanish, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Bangla. The author of the book Ivan Para Gonzalez delivered a presentation and explained how this book can be a useful resource for EFL classrooms. He also stressed how it can help develop intercultural communicative competence among children as this book addresses issues like immigrants and refugees.

Later, Chisty, also a faculty member at the Notre Dame University Bangladesh (NDUB) explained how this book is a good example of a CREDIBLE project. He then explains about the CREDIBLE approach to teaching and research.

He added that he has done the CREDIBLE project with his students of NDUB. 

The software developer of this e-book Mitchell Needham explained how the readers can easily read the book from the website of FLC by selecting any two combinations of languages at a time.

The project advisor, Leslie Barratt, a distinguished academic, shared her hope about this book.

Finally, the editor of the book and the project supervisor Dr. Ahmar Mahboob, associate professor of the University of Sydney, delivered his speech and shared the prospects of this book. He emphasized on the 'magic of sharing'. By sharing the book in different languages we can develop hopeful attitude towards the immigrants all around the world.

The Ribbit-Ribbit Pond’s print version will soon be available, added the Dr. Mahboob. 

This event was appreciated by people on social media platforms as an excellent way to celebrate International Mother Language Day.