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In the Classroom:
The Benefits of Bilingualism in Preschoolers

With over five million preschoolers in the U.S. speaking a language other than English in their homes, the early childhood education community is asking about the best ways to prepare children for elementary schools with English-only instruction while respecting their cultural and linguistic identities. Unfortunately, the combination of a nationwide anti-bilingual movement and a shortage of personnel specializing in bilingual and bicultural education has resulted in the limited quality of bilingual programs in the U.S. This trend stands in opposition to the findings of researchers who have shown that continued development of the first language results in cognitive and social advantages for children.

Two factors have been shown to influence the benefits of learning a second language. First, beginning to learn the second language at a younger age allows for the development of native-like pronunciation, thus improving communication. Younger children also may be less inhibited and less afraid to make mistakes. Second, studies have found that the more proficient a child is in the first language at the time the second is introduced, the more likely he or she will be able to achieve a high level of competence in the second language.

Early childhood educators suggest several ways to encourage development of the new language while respecting the child's native tongue:

Children can be paired with other speakers of the home language for periods of time in the classroom to allow for continued development of the native language.
Staff and volunteers who share the language and cultural background of the child can not only contribute to curriculum goals but also facilitate communication between the home and school.
By asking the parents of children learning a second language to share important words in the native language, teachers can prevent suppression of the child's cultural identity.
A puzzle corner or dramatic play area can help these children have some time away from the demands of an English-speaking classroom, although teachers are cautioned against leaving a child alone for long periods.

Utilizing these ideas creates settings for children in which the native language is used and valued. This serves to improve communication and allows children to build on the foundation for learning while retaining ties to their cultural and family heritage.

Source:
"Preschool Second Language Acquisition: What We Know and How We Can Effectively Communicate With Young Second Language Learners," Janet Quiñones-Eatman, Technical Report #5, Early Childhood Research Institute on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, 2001.

For more information:
go on-line at clas.uiuc.edu/techreport/tech5.html.

Facts in Action, August 2001

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