Posted on July 20, 2022 by Rosario Arán
“Television shows can teach new vocabulary, new expressions, reinforce existing knowledge of a language and improve memory”
Shabnam Rezaei is the mind behind Oznoz while combining her role as President and Co-founder of Big Bad Boo Studios. Both platforms reflect the values she stands for: multilingualism, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Her impressive career not only includes creating fun TV shows for kids, but she also holds a BS in Computer Science, a BA in German Literature and an MBA from New York University. Born in Iran, Shabnam is able to speak English, German, Persian, French, and Spanish.
-How being able to speak five languages has helped you throughout your personal life and career?
-Shabnam: They say a language is a window to a new world and I have had the fortune of growing up with Persian, English, and German and then learning French and Spanish in school settings. All of these languages have opened many opportunities for me at work, being able to work with new clients, getting to travel, and being an essential part of conversation and decision making at an early age, precisely because I could move between worlds quickly and easily. Personally, I think the enjoyment of so many cultures and places through languages, and counting these places as my home town has made my life fuller and I am passing that on to my kids.
Shabnam combines her entrepreneur skills with motherhood, and she is raising her two daughters as trilingual. Although it might sound complicated and a challenge, she is well-aware about the legacy and tools she is providing to her children: “My children will navigate the world easier because of they can speak Persian, English and German as their mother tongues, meaning they are being raised with all three in the home and supported in some fashion by their environments. I always imagined there would be a moment in time where all my efforts would pay off and it came in this form: we were visiting with my father (Persian speaking) in Vienna and he wanted to buy ice-cream but he doesn’t speak German so my 5 year old translated the order for him to the waiter. She also helped facilitate conversation between my husband (English speaking) and my father. I could sit back and let them communicate. It was beautiful,” she says.
-What do your daughters enjoy the most about being able to communicate in different languages?
-Shabnam: We enjoy most having “secret” languages. When amongst Iranians, we can speak German and vice versa and we don’t have to whisper. It’s great.
Shabnam’s advice to multilingual children’s parents
Of course, this private way to communicate with each other is fun, but also reinforces the relationship between mother and children. However, learning new languages as a kid is much more than communicating with your parents and connecting with other cultures. Shabnam explains it very clearly: “As a kid, your brain is open to learning and you are curious and ready for information. Languages can be complex and so learning them as an adult, once your brain has formed can be very challenging. When you are a kid, you think of a new word for “cup” as just a different way of saying that word and so it becomes second nature and part of your DNA. One language can then lead to two or three. Kids are smart and so giving them this gift is the best thing a parent can do.”
Despite knowing the advantages of learning new languages and having multilingual children, some parents still feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. Shabnam shares her wisdom and advice to “speak the non-environment language to your child and only that language. The minute you give in to the environment language, they will resist the second or third language because the brain wants the easy way out.”
“Surround yourself with a new environment that speaks that language. It takes a village to teach a new language and the more they are immersed the better. This includes formal schooling, play-time and social interactions and additional resources like books and videos that are regularly exposed to,” she adds.
With this in mind, Shabnam created Oznoz as a unique resource for parents and children to access curated and fun TV shows in 10 languages.
-How TV shows can improve a child’s learning experience?
–Shabnam: Television shows can teach new vocabulary, new expressions, reinforce existing knowledge of a language and improve memory. It is a complimentary resource for a child who is being exposed to language through her adults, her environment, her school, her community or her friends.