Strengths And Weaknesses Of Dual Language Development

Dual language learners are children learning two or more languages at the same time, as well as those learning a second language while continuing to develop their first (or home) language (Dual language learning, 2008). The number of children being raised in bilingual homes is large and growing, however the mechanism of language development in children from bilingual homes is not well described or understood (Hoff et al., 2011). A large body of research has refuted the opinion that dual language input may confuse children, and other research indicates that children exposed to two languages can distinguish those languages from infancy, learn two phonological systems, two vocabularies and two grammars (Kova´cs & Mehler, 2009a; Petitto,

As our nation shifts towards a more culturally diverse population both educators and families have to find a common ground to ensure that English Language Learners are academically successful. All stakeholders must carefully consider the social cultural impact on an ELL education. The process of raising bilingual learners take more than a language a school and a language learned at home. The transition must have a purpose and a goal.

When an educator walks into her classroom for the first time, she needs to be prepared to encounter students that come from a variety of backgrounds. The children will be in different stages of language development, and the educator must accommodate for each of these students. Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera (2013) state, “The US Census Bureau projects that by the 2030s, children whose home language is other than English will increase from roughly 22 percent to 40 percent of the school-age population” (p. 9). This increase in second language learners will cause the educator to accommodate for those needs. Second language learners “need teachers who welcome them and recognize their unique abilities, what they know, and what they need to learn” (Magruder, Hayslip, Espinosa, and Matera, 2013, p. 10).

It is common in the United States to see DLL preschoolers who attend English dominant ECE programs tend to quickly show a preference towards English and tend to use their home language less and less (Espinosa, 2015, p. 46). Young language learners often experience first language loss, which is when DLLs become more proficient in the English language while their exposure to their native language takes a back seat. It is imperative that attention must be given to both English language development along-side the native language in order to facilitate the cognitive, social, and linguistic benefits of early bilingualism, while encouraging learning readiness goals (p. 46). Learning a second language during early childhood within the United States should not disable the development of the native

The author suggests screening native language and English language and literacy development from early education through the transition process, and then in English when students are prepared to leave and are no longer getting reading instruction in the native language. The author states that a team method to problem solving that considers many of these issues may ease the progress of a proper instructional plan. Plans and instructional routines such as repetitive language, rapid pacing, modeling, time to practice, and discuss school employees do not delay literacy instruction until student’s English oral skills are well-developed, but instead support Students benefit when school employees are focused on meeting student’s educational needs rather than on finding an outside source to explain the educational needs. Instructors, including the ones in special education, are worried that they do not have the knowledge and skills to properly teach English language learners. The author states how these teachers are scared that their lack of knowledge of the student 's native language makes them unable of providing valuable education. That 's why, it is important that teachers are provided with the resources required to support them in this process.

“They are your kids, not mine!” The typical excuse content area teachers will say to the ESOL teachers when any issue arises regarding the education of the emerging bilingual students. The truth is that everyone in the school building, including content area teachers, office personnel, and administrators, should be involved in educating the emerging bilingual students, not only the ESOL teacher. Content area teachers need to be aware that if the students are not proficient in the new language, they will have challenges in all the content classes. Even in the Common Core Standards, the expectation is for teachers to develop not only their content area, but at the same time improve the academic language. One reason is that since the Common

She maintains this will allow them to generate cognitive and linguistic progress that nurtures their transition to English (Stover, 2015). Therefore, according to Dr. Vonderlack-Navarro, the “English only” approach can be detrimental to learning English (Stover, 2015). Vonderlack-Navarro contends school board members need to endorse specific strategies and support multilingual classrooms in response to the question, “How does the school board make these literacy gains in a classroom with English language learners who speak different languages?” (Stover, 2015).

The aim of this action research is to find and develop the book corner with the use of stories to support children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) within an early years setting. Recommendations in the form of evaluation to show the best methods which will help to improve the way support is given to children with EAL within the early years setting.

2.2 The program ensures that each home visitor is trained and supported to use culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate practices to communicate effectively and demonstrate respect for the uniqueness of each family’s culture.

This model supports the use of both the native language and the new language within the daily teaching curriculum (Ray, 2008). The No Child Left Behind Act threatens the Dual Language method and negatively impacts bilingual education because of the high degree of emphasis that is placed on standardized testing. The weight of standardized testing that is felt from the state all the way down to the classroom level has forced curriculum to focus on the passing of these tests. Because bilingual students must take the standardized test in English, this has caused a shift in the landscape of bilingual education. Teachers of bilingual students are abandoning the DL method in favor of a more English only environment as a means to help students pass standardized tests (Ray, 2008). This negates the purpose of bilingual education and decreases the benefits that these students receive while learning in a dual language

When examining the District handbook, it is clear that West Chicago highly values student achievement and seeks to create lifelong learners. The handbook is reviewed every year and the district values and asks for the input of students and parents in order to increase investment. Throughout its history “Providing a foundation for excellence in learning” has been the district’s vision. This, coupled with its mission statement: “To impart the knowledge and skills that will empower all students to pursue their maximum potential to confidently contribute to and benefit from our society locally and globally,” inform their policies and attitude towards all students, especially English Language Learners. In a Frequently Asked Questions portion, the District answers the question of whether students will fall behind due to learning an extra language by explaining that dual language is a form of enriched education and that learning two languages has many cognitive benefits as evidenced by research that has shown how students who participate in Dual Language programs outperform their peers on standardized tests.

"Substantial evidence exists to support dual language (DL) education as a viable and enriching method of supporting high levels of academic achievement for both English language learners (ELLs) and English-speaking students.

The students that make up the school are mostly Latino, African American, West Indian and white. Language is the medium through which students gain access to the curriculum. (Tamara Lucas). For example, Maria was placed in a dual language classroom, since arriving from Mexico and when she entered middle school that was taken away. The teacher in her English class needs to realize it takes second language learners longer to develop fluency in academic English than in conversational English. (Tamara Lucas). Ms. O’reilly should take this inconsideration when it comes to the strategies used in the classroom. Social interaction will help Maria’s language development and a method that can be useful to promote social interaction is the use of group work. Using group work will allow Maria to not only expand her English skills but also learn from the other students. Tamara Lucas states; “Scaffolding learning for ELLs requires teachers to consider the relationship between students’ linguistic abilities and the tasks through which they are expected to learn”. Ms. O’reilly has set the goal of having all the students to be on the same level at the end of the school year, this might not be a realistic goal since each child comes from different backgrounds and learn at different speeds. Different scaffolding strategies should be use to accommodate the ELLs in her classroom. Group work, sharing about ones culture, knowing the child’s mother tongue and creating a comfortable environment where the students can raise their hand or ask questions without feeling dumb or like an

Our bilingual students and teachers are facing the same and more complication than a regular classroom. “English language learners, like all the students throughout the United States, are expected to excel on a single-measure high-stakes test” (D. Palmer, A.W. Lynch, June 2008). Not all the students master or gain their second language as the same way like everyone else, some student show difficulties in different areas but the most common one is the writing and reading because they have language gaps that they will being filling over time. “English Language Learners face a particular challenge: to perform in a language that they by definition do not master. Students who are limited in English are unlikely to be able to demonstrate their content knowledge on a test written in English” (Abedi 2004). I am a ELL student, when I was in 11th grade I felt the same pressure that most of the student felt to pass the TASK test to be available to continue with my education and graduated. It was difficult for me to pass the test because the gaps of the language and the vocabulary, I remember seen words that I didn’t recognize. When I took test, I did know that there where accommodation that could be set up for me because I was ELL student, instead I took the test without any accommodations. During that time, I had a lot of pressure from my teachers to

From the moment we are born, our environment prepares us for this journey we call life. We learn to communicate both verbally and non-verbally. In my opinion and based on three studies, socioeconomic status, the child’s gender, the amount of language they hear from their caregivers, word mapping, and social intent all effect the child’s vocabulary size. According to Spencer, Clegg, & Stackhouse, “the links between socioeconomic disadvantage and early language development are well documented with reports of up to 50% of young children from areas of socioeconomic is advantage having language delay. According to Pasek, Golinkoff, and Hennon (2006), research states girls showed a quasi-linear positive gain in language across secondary school, while boys began with a decline and then accelerated.