Teaching immigrant children: learning from the experiences of immigrant early childhood teachers

Abstract

ABSTRACT The field of early childhood education and care in the United States and around the globe is challenged by the growing number of immigrant children in classrooms and their diverse needs. Juxtaposing these concerns is a great silence in the literature on teacher development and education for teaching young immigrant children. Through a series of interviews, classroom observations, and artifact collection, this qualitative case study uncovers immigrant teachers’ knowledge grounded in their lived experiences, including immigration and schooling experiences as immigrant students, and reflected in their teaching practices toward young immigrant children. The findings demonstrate that listening closely to immigrant teachers’ stories about teaching immigrant children, in which multiple cultures, languages, and experiences mesh, offers important insights into the nuanced everyday practices of responsive teaching and caring for immigrants, and provides implications for teacher education and early childhood programs.