•We conducted a critical literature review on language and literacy development of young dual language learners (DLLs).•A total of 182 articles were identified and reviewed through the process.•We ...identified numerous methodological concerns, including lack of a description of the language experiences of young DLLs.•The studies addressed a wide range of research questions, making it difficult to make solid conclusions in most areas.
The number of children living in the United States who are learning two languages is increasing greatly. However, relatively little research has been conducted on the language and literacy development of dual language learners (DLLs), particularly during the early childhood years. To summarize the extant literature and guide future research, a critical analysis of the literature was conducted. A search of major databases for studies on young typically developing DLLs between 2000 and 2011 yielded 182 peer-reviewed articles.
Findings about DLL children's developmental trajectories in the various areas of language and literacy are presented. Much of these findings should be considered preliminary, because there were few areas where multiple studies were conducted. Conclusions were reached when sufficient evidence existed in a particular area. First, the research shows that DLLs have two separate language systems early in life. Second, differences in some areas of language development, such as vocabulary, appear to exist among DLLs depending on when they were first exposed to their second language. Third, DLLs’ language and literacy development may differ from that of monolinguals, although DLLs appear to catch up over time. Fourth, little is known about factors that influence DLLs’ development, although the amount of language exposure to and usage of DLLs’ two languages appears to play key roles. Methodological issues are addressed, and directions for future research are discussed.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPUK
•We critically reviewed the literature on cognitive development in bilingual children between 0 and 6 years of age.•Consistent findings in non-verbal executive control and theory of mind with ...bilinguals outperforming monolinguals, starting in the first year of life.•Inconsistent findings in metalinguistic awareness, performance influenced by factors such as language proficiency and typological distance between languages.•Memory abilities, intelligence, and processing speed received little attention and thus no firm conclusions can be drawn.•Experience with two linguistic systems, no matter how short and regardless of the language pairs involved, changes brain function.
Dual language exposure and bilingualism are relatively common experiences for children. The present review set out to synthesize the existing research on cognitive development in bilingual children and to identify the gaps and the methodological concerns present in the existing research. A search of major databases for research conducted with typically developing, preschool-age dual language learners between 2000 and 2013 yielded 102 peer-reviewed articles. The existing evidence points to areas of cognitive development in bilingual children where findings are robust or inconclusive, and reveals variables that influence performance. The present review also identifies areas for future research and methodological limitations.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPUK
Childhood obesity has increased dramatically in the past 3 decades, particularly among children aged 2-5 years. In this group, Latino children are among those with the highest prevalence of obesity.
...This paper describes a pilot study to evaluate a community intervention, known as the Growing Healthy Kids Program (GHK), to prevent childhood obesity among low-income families in a Southern state.
The intervention included a weekly gardening session, a 7-week cooking and nutrition workshop, and social events for parents and children. Matched pre- and post-program height and weight data were collected for 95 children aged 2-15 years. Children's BMI was determined. Also, families reported on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables at the beginning and the end of the family's participation in the GHK program. Data were collected in 2008-2010 and analyzed in 2011.
About 60% of participants who enrolled in the program were Latino families (n=60 families/120 children). By the end of their participation in the program, 17% (n=6, p<0.004) of obese or overweight children had improved their BMI classification and 100% of the children with a BMI classification of normal had maintained that BMI classification. According to parental reports, there was an increase of 146% (p<0.001) in the availability of fruits and vegetables and an increase in the consumption of fruits (28%; p<0.001) and vegetables (33%; p<0.001) among children of families participating in the GHK program.
Findings from this pilot study are consistent with previous studies reporting an increase in availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables among families participating in community gardens. Although there are limitations because this is a pilot study, this strategy seems to be promising for addressing childhood obesity, particularly among low-income Latino immigrant families.
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The present study investigated how 380 early childhood pre-service teachers perceived equity in science education and how they planned to incorporate their equity concept into their future science ...teaching practices. An inductive thematic analysis of the data collected indicated that the majority of pre-service teachers harboured misconceptions about equity in science education. They also conceptualized equity in science education as involving English learners, something unrelated to children’s racial/ethnic backgrounds. Colorblindness and deficit beliefs were pervasive among pre-service teachers. One important implication is the need for pre-service teachers to understand that resolving opportunity gaps in science education between dominant and nondominant children depends on building their knowledge of equitable science instruction. Another implication is the need for ECE science teacher educators to create opportunities for pre-service teachers to identify their own cultural backgrounds, as well as to critically and continuously reflect on their own biases and prejudices towards children who come from diverse backgrounds.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•The development of DLLs differs from that of monolinguals across domains.•In most circumstances, bilingualism has a positive role in children's development.•Using DLL's two languages in ECE does not ...negatively influence development and learning.•Methodological challenges limit the drawing of conclusions and synthesizing of research.•Longitudinal research is needed to understand DLLs’ developmentandECE experiences.•There is a need for research on DLL infants and toddlers and DLLs in family childcare.•CECER-DLL developed a conceptual framework and tools to document DLLs’ language experiences.
Early care and education (ECE) programs, policymakers and practitioners across the United States are facing the reality of the increase in the population of dual language learners (DLLs). To address these children's unique and varied characteristics and experiences, ECE programs find that they must adjust and adapt their efforts. However, there is limited evidence for early childhood strategies to support DLLs and limited understanding of DLLs’ development. There are increased accountability requirements for ECE programs to meet the needs of all children, including DLLs. This special section “The Development and Early Care and Education of Dual Language Learners: Examining the State of Knowledge” includes six articles reporting on the research activities of the Center for Early Care and Education Research – Dual Language Learners (CECER-DLL). The Center was federally funded to advance the research field to improve assessment, child care, and education for DLLs from birth through five years of age. This introduction and commentary discusses the most relevant findings from the set of critical reviews of literature and the secondary analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Birth Cohort conducted by the Center. Also, the major methodological challenges and research gaps found in the literature reviewed, across topic areas, are presented and recommendations for future directions to advance research on the development and early care and education of DLLs are provided.
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Forty years ago, the Castañeda v. Pickard landmark case marked an important milestone in the fight for equitable education for English learners
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in law, and for the first time linked theory, ...resources, and outcomes. Notwithstanding the important progress it marked in advocating for greater resources for English learners and accountability for education systems, the central goal of the Castañeda Standard, to “overcome language barriers that impede equal participation in educational programs” is fundamentally flawed. Language, in its essence, is not a barrier but a human characteristic and a strength, and knowledge of the English language, specifically, should not be the exclusive route to attain equal participation in education programs. In this article, we discuss the importance of the Castaňeda Standard and importantly, how we can build from its foundation toward more equitable learning systems, with a central focus on the early care and education system, which has thus far, been left out of formal standards and accountability for bilingual children, with some exceptions. We ground our discussion in the central tenet that improving standards must move away from the “language barrier ideology” to perceiving language as a strength to build on, and to include bilingualism and biliteracy as a central goal of learning systems, shifting away from an exclusive English learning focus. We discuss the importance of bringing a larger degree of objectivity, grounded in current science, to guide implementation. We track the same three pillars established by the Castaňeda Standard 40 years ago and further develop how these could apply to the early care and education systems that serve the youngest bilingual learners.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Using an interdisciplinary perspective to discuss the intersection of language development and learning processes, this book summarizes current knowledge and represents the most critical issues ...regarding early childhood research, policy, and practice related to young bilingual children with disabilities.
The measurement of cities and municipalities competitiveness in the Philippines has been put in place by the Department of Trade and Industry since 2013. However, its use as a spatial planning ...parameter is lacking in the literature. This paper reviewed the factors that drive competitiveness. The research revealed that “economic dynamism” appeared at the top of the factors that contribute to competitiveness and influence regional development. Given urban and regional planning theories, metropolitan areas were chosen as the most appropriate case study sites that exhibit economic dynamism. The study revealed that the “Economic Dynamism Index”, or EDi, of cities and municipalities are spatially correlated, indicative of their clustering pattern in the economic space. The clustering pattern was determined by treating the EDi as a spatial attribute in the major metropolitan case study areas. Using Moran’s I global spatial autocorrelation analysis, the clustering pattern of cities and municipalities observed through the GIS map was validated by the 99% significance in the spatial statistics of the EDi dataset. This suggests that “complementation” among cities and municipalities exists rather than competition. Thus, sustainable regional spatial/economic development strategies can be reformulated, given the spatial interactions of areas with higher EDi with the less endowed cities/municipalities at the periphery.
Purpose: This study examined the role of the language of vocabulary instruction in promoting English vocabulary in preschool Latino dual language learners (DLLs). The authors compared the ...effectiveness of delivering a single evidence-informed vocabulary approach using English as the language of vocabulary instruction (English culturally responsive ECR) versus using a bilingual modality that strategically combined Spanish and English (culturally and linguistically responsive CLR). Method: Forty-two DLL Spanish-speaking preschoolers were randomly assigned to the ECR group (n = 22) or CLR group (n = 20). Thirty English words were presented during small-group shared readings in their preschools 3 times a week for 5 weeks. Multilevel models were used to examine group differences in postinstruction scores on 2 Spanish and 2 English vocabulary assessments at instruction end and follow-up. Results: Children receiving instruction in the CLR bilingual modality had significantly higher posttest scores (than those receiving the ECR English-only instruction) on Spanish and English vocabulary assessments at instruction end and on the Spanish vocabulary assessment at follow-up, even after controlling for preinstruction scores. Conclusions: The results provide additional evidence of the benefits of strategically combining the first and second language to promote English and Spanish vocabulary development in this population. Future directions for research and clinical applications are discussed.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
•Using ECLS-B, early childhood outcomes for DLLs are compared to those with only English at home, controlling for sociodemographic variables.•DLL status, per se, was only associated with a few ...outcomes and trajectories.•Immigrant status, gender, and maternal education moderated relations between home language use and child outcomes.•Use of the heritage language at home served as a protective factor for children of immigrant families for a few outcomes.•Gender and parental education were more strongly associated with child outcomes among English-speaking households.
Using nationally representative data from the ECLS-B, we examined children's outcomes and growth from 9 to 65 months as a function of language used in the home at 24 months (English only n=7300; English and another language n=1500; other language only n=400). We also examined whether demographic variables moderated the effects of DLL status in predicting child outcomes. Results revealed substantial variation within the DLL population within and across language groups in immigration status, heritage country, child outcomes, and family socioeconomic risk. DLL status was associated with differential outcomes, gains over time, and processes in complex ways. Maternal birth outside of the U.S., child gender, and parental education moderated relations between home language and child outcomes. Use of the heritage language at home served as a protective factor for children of immigrant families for a few outcomes. Gender and parental education were more strongly associated with child outcomes among English-speaking households than among DLLs.
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