Abstract
From a socio-cultural perspective, language offers a means for children to communicate with and learn from others through interaction: language is the medium through which young children are provided cognitive, social, and emotional support in interactions with caregivers, siblings, and peers; and children characterized as dual language learners (DLLs) have in common that they receive this developmental support in two different languages. However, due to variations in socioeconomic factors, ethnic/immigration background, and language socialization practices, DLLs display considerable variability in their first- and second-language proficiency (McCabe, Tamis-LeMonda, Bornstein, Cates, Golinkoff, Guerra, Hirsh-Pasek, Hoff, Kuchirko, Melzi, Mendelsohn, Páez & Song, 2013).
Highlights
From a socio-cultural perspective, language offers a means for children to communicate with and learn from others through interaction: language is the medium through which young children are provided cognitive, social, and emotional support in interactions with caregivers, siblings, and peers; and children characterized as dual language learners (DLLs) have in common that they receive this developmental support in two different languages
This study has demonstrated that the home literacy environment, which appears to be closely intertwined with child relative language use and family demographic factors, was a marked predictor of young DLLs’ first- and second-language vocabulary skills
The findings related to child relative language use, family demographics, and the home literacy environment will be further elaborated on and discussed below
Summary
From a socio-cultural perspective, language offers a means for children to communicate with and learn from others through interaction: language is the medium through which young children are provided cognitive, social, and emotional support in interactions with caregivers, siblings, and peers; and children characterized as dual language learners (DLLs) have in common that they receive this developmental support in two different languages. A major challenge in research on DLLs, at least in many European countries, is that DLLs in the same preschool classrooms often speak very different first languages at home. This situation has likely skewed research toward studying only language groups for which validated first-language assessment instruments exist or, when mixed samples are addressed, focusing solely on DLLs’ second-language skills. We address these limitations and examine relative use of the first and second language at home as well as first- and second-language vocabulary development for children who live in families with highly diverse immigrant backgrounds in Norway.
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