ERIC Number: ED589135
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Mar
Pages: 36
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Language of the Classroom: Dual Language Learners in Head Start, Public Pre-K, and Private Preschool Programs
Baker, Megina; Páez, Mariela
Migration Policy Institute
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs across the United States are experiencing an increasing level of linguistic and cultural diversity among the children they serve. Dual Language Learners (DLLs)--young children who grow up speaking more than one language at home and in the classroom--bring to these classrooms unique learning strengths, experiences, and challenges. And while considerable research has explored effective teaching practices for DLLs in bilingual classroom settings, far less is known about what works in superdiverse contexts, where the children in a class speak a wider variety of languages. This report examines teaching practices that can successfully support the learning and development of DLLs in linguistically diverse ECEC programs. It draws on interviews with educators and program directors; focus group discussions and surveys with families; classroom observations; and the collection of classroom artifacts from six preschool classrooms. The classrooms chosen were nominated by their local communities for providing exemplary and high-quality early learning opportunities for DLLs, and include three program types: Head Start, public pre-kindergarten (pre-K), and private preschools. Teacher and program language use across these different contexts was investigated to deepen understanding of effective practices and to identify examples of exemplary teaching. A review of classroom quality using the Early Literacy and Language Classroom Observation Pre-K (ELLCO Pre-K) showed that all six were similar in their use of exemplary practices, though the precise instructional practices chosen differed based on the level of linguistic diversity in the classroom and languages individual teachers were able to speak. All early childhood educators in this study drew upon their knowledge of the children and families involved in their programs to make their teaching and curriculum more responsive to young DLLs. This report is one in a series of three reports that explore the implications of superdiverse contexts for early childhood education and care programs and systems. [The Lynch School of Education at Boston College supported this research.]
Descriptors: Bilingual Students, Bilingualism, Preschool Children, Early Childhood Education, Federal Programs, School Readiness, Public Schools, Private Schools, Bilingual Education, Second Language Learning, English Language Learners, Spanish Speaking, Teaching Methods, Multilingualism, Cultural Pluralism
Migration Policy Institute. 1400 16th Street NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-266-1940; Fax: 202-266-1900; e-mail: communications@migrationpolicy.org; Web site: http://www.migrationpolicy.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Heising-Simons Foundation
Authoring Institution: Migration Policy Institute (MPI), National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts (Boston)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A