A picture book for parents and teachers to talk with children about how to be considerate of those who have difficulty hearing. Linguist Martine Coene wrote and illustrated the children's book Mila and the Moonfish. “With this book, we aim to raise awareness for children who are hearing-impaired.”
Mila and the Moonfish tells the story of Mila, who one day discovers a magical moonfish. Mila rescues the hearing-impaired moonfish by returning it to the sea. When the moonfish wants to thank her, misunderstandings arise, and Mila learns how to communicate best with her new friend. The book includes tips on how classmates can ensure that hearing-impaired children can understand and follow conversations. “In a busy classroom, a hearing-impaired child may miss up to 75 percent of what is being said,” says Coene. “We want to raise awareness, share linguistic knowledge, and provide tips on how teachers, parents, and classmates can handle this situation.”
In a playful way, children learn that they should make eye contact with their hearing-impaired classmates when speaking to them and that speaking slowly and clearly helps. According to the linguist, this knowledge is much needed: “Over the past twenty years, there have been significant technological improvements in hearing aids, for example. But research still shows a gap between hearing and hearing-impaired individuals.”
This book is also a first: it is the first valorization project from the Center for Language and Development (CTO, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). Linguists collaborate here across disciplines with teachers, healthcare professionals, and parents to support children who struggle with language acquisition for various reasons. As part of a broader mission to make linguistic insights widely accessible, Coene and her colleagues aim to create children's books about dyslexia, language development disorders, and multilingualism. “For years, I was a theoretical linguist, but I increasingly felt the need to translate my research into practical applications. With these books, I hope not only to share knowledge but also to truly contribute to an inclusive learning environment where every child is seen and heard.”
Mila and the Moonfish
The book is currently being translated into French, Chinese, Romanian, Turkish, and possibly also Moroccan Arabic. Linguist Martine Coene wrote the text herself and created all the illustrations.