Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) easy-to-read Bible translation for young readers and English language learners has more than 8.5 million copies in print worldwide, being jointly published by Zondervan and Biblica since 1996.
Bible Gateway interviewed Yvonne Van Ee, PhD about her role in translating the NIrV.
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Tell us about yourself and your work.
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: I was a member of the Education Department at Calvin University for more than 33 years. While there, I taught several courses including Educational Psychology, Teaching Religion and Biblical Studies, Early Childhood Development, and Early Childhood Curriculum. I taught a course on The Urban Child and supervised student internships in both elementary and early childhood education. I was also director of the Early Childhood Program. In addition, I directed an off-campus program for students in elementary and secondary education in Rehoboth, NM. I’ve written Bible curriculum for young children and school-age children, and I’ve been a consultant for Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids Christian Schools, Christian Schools International, and other organizations. Since retirement, I’ve continued consulting as well as conducting workshops and seminars. I became a member of the NIrV Revision Committee in 2011. My husband Bill and I live on the shores of Lake Michigan near Holland, MI. We enjoy music, reading, summers on the lakeshore, and traveling!
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How long have you been on the NIrV Committee? Why did you decide to become a part of this committee?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: I was invited to become a member of the committee in 2011. Having taught Bible at the fifth-grade level and being involved in developing Bible curriculum, I was keenly aware of the need for an easier to read and understand Bible translation for kids. I was aware that this is also true for many other people in the general population. I felt that the Lord had called and prepared me to be a part of this committee.
[Read the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) on Bible Gateway]
What is your role and area of expertise on the committee?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: My role on the committee is that of child development, education specialist. It is my responsibility to bring to the forefront of the committee’s discussions the third-grade reading level and children’s developmental abilities. This involves not only choosing and limiting word selection to the third-grade reading level but also considering the varying developmental levels of the young reader. For example, the young reader might be able to decode a word but not understand what it means. That’s because they do not yet have the social, emotional, cultural knowledge, or brain development to do it. It also involves keeping the sentence length to not more than fifteen words.
I also bring to the committee the opportunity to have third graders provide input to the work. Because of my connections with schools and teachers, I was given access to students in the third grade who had achieved varying levels of reading skills and were at varying levels of development. These students became my “experts” to which I presented questions from the committee on word usage and verse understandability. Their responses were then used to inform the decisions of the committee.
What is the reading level of the NIrV and why is achieving a specific reading level so important?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: The reading level is “spot on” at the third grade. When readability tests have been conducted, the translation has tested below a 3.8 (meaning 3rd grade, 8th month) reading level. Biblica, the organization that owns the translation, has stated, “The translators have done outstanding work, and we’ve hit our readability targets spot on.”
Reading level is important for several reasons. First, the committee wants the NIrV Bible to be accessible for children who are becoming independent readers. For most children that occurs in the third grade, although for some kids that may occur in second grade. Additionally, many adults read comfortably at a third-grade reading level. That would include adults with varying abilities, second-language learners, those unfamiliar with the Biblical text, or those who want an easier-to-read Bible.
Who are the audiences that benefit most from using the NIrV Bible?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: Audiences that benefit most from the NIrV Bible are almost limitless! Obviously, a key audience is children who read at a third-grade reading level, whether they are in second grade or third or fourth or fifth. When we returned to the student “experts” with whom we consulted on readability, they were in the fifth and sixth grades and were delighted to have a Bible they could easily read and understand! Other audiences include prison populations, second-language learners, and any adult who desires an easy-to-read Bible. Even pastors who want to consult an easier-to-read translation turn to the NIrV. I also understand that some people who translate the Bible into other languages use the NIrV as one of their foundational resources.
What translation challenges has the committee faced while working on the NIrV?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: An early challenge the committee faced was selecting the best words, phrases, or sentences to use when there was more than one choice to convey the meaning. This included theological terms that might be unfamiliar to the non-Christian reader. We wanted the best possible, most developmentally appropriate selection for these translations. To provide some insight for the committee, I suggested that real-life third-grade readers could be consulted. A local Christian school in west Michigan welcomed me to do the research there. The two third-grade classrooms with which I worked over a two-year period represented mostly Christian families. The students represented a wide range of reading-level achievement which made for some lively discussions. These students were my “experts.” Their invaluable input was reported back to the committee, and that data then informed the discussion from which the committee made their decisions.
An additional challenge was keeping the translation accurate to the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic while making the sentences shorter and yet clear and coherent.
What is your favorite Bible passage and why?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: This question is difficult to answer because there are so many wonderful verses. I selected two sets of verses that I consider to be foundational to my faith and my life’s walk. They give me confidence and direction.
Ephesians 2:8-9—”God’s grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do. It is God’s gift. It is not based on anything you have done. No one can brag about earning it.”
Galatians 5:22-23—”But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.”
[Read articles about the NIrV on the Bible Gateway Blog]
What are your thoughts about Bible Gateway and Bible Gateway App and Bible Audio App?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: As an educator, the Bible Gateway website and Bible Gateway App provide excellent tools for research, for Bible study, for daily devotions, and for daily Bible reading. Bible Gateway provides great resources for scholars, for families, and for teachers. The site makes it easy to locate verses, compare Bible translations, and much more. I believe upper elementary students could use the site and the App in their classroom Bible work and in designing classroom devotions. I also believe the audio player is a wonderful idea that would be a useful classroom tool. I especially appreciate the dramatized Bible readings!
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Yvonne Van Ee, PhD: The NIrV is the most accessible English language Bible translation available today. It is easy to read and clearly understandable. It is being used to translate the words of Scripture into many languages. My hope and prayer is that the NIrV Bible will be used to bring the message of salvation and words of hope to millions of people. I pray that those who read it will see the light of God’s glory and grace, and that lives will be changed. In all this may God be glorified!
Read interviews with the other translators of the New International Reader’s Version:
The New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
Bio: Until her retirement from Calvin University in 2007, Yvonne Van Ee taught courses including Teaching Bible in the Elementary Teacher Education program. She also directed and taught courses including Child Development in the Early Childhood Program. She has served as curriculum writer and consultant for the CRC Publications, Christian Schools International, the Van Andel Education Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Erikson Institute in Chicago. She continues to serve as a consultant for Biblica and for Zonderkidz, a division of Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishers. She co-authored with Michael Williams the book, Seek and Explore: Devotions for Kids.
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