Elicited Response in the Pre-Kindergarten Setting with a Dual Language Program: Good or Bad Idea?

Abstract

While both positive and negative implications of bilingual educational programs on school children have been widely observed, the aspect of elicited response in a student’s weakest language has virtually been ignored. Even with evidence that shows how vital it is to maintain a child’s natural language and culture through dual language programs, bilingual teachers still fail to question the necessity of or focus on the practical elements of eliciting response from students, i.e., using different strategies such as code switching or peer scaffolding to get students to use their native language, in this case Spanish. Through the use of the Language Experience Approach, this study examines the role of elicited response with a small sample of English and Spanish speaking participants in an early childhood classroom. In addition, this article provides an overview of differing philosophies and reasons behind questioning the importance of elicited response and the role a teacher plays in this process. Several issues are explored throughout this discussion, such as the conditions, variables, and social influences that affect second language acquisition, and the implications of different levels of language exposure in peer groups. While it is impossible to derive an absolute and definitive solution from the results, they do set a precedent for further, much needed research in the area of elicited response.