Dual Language Learners Research Articles

THE GLOBAL RESEARCH TRENDS ON THE EARLY LITERACY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

This study examines global trends in early literacy articles published in the Web of Science (WoS) database. Using a descriptive survey model and bibliometric analysis, 2879 articles from 1985 to 2023 were analyzed. According to the results, the number of articles and citations has increased significantly since 2005. The Journal of Early Childhood Literacy is the most prolific journal in this field. Most studies originate from developed countries, notably the USA, Canada, and Australia, with English being the predominant language. Key contributing institutions include the State University System of Florida and Florida State University. The author Justice, L.M., is a leading contributor with 42 articles. The most cited article, by Sénéchal & LeFevre, at 2002 has 1044 citations. The 'Education & Educational Research' category leads with 1751 articles, covering topics like education, psychology, and language and linguistics. Literacy, emergent literacy, phonological awareness, reading are the prominent keywords and recent trends include topics such as literacy environments and dual language learners. Researchers from the USA, Canada, and Australia are prominent in collaborative efforts. This study analyzes global trends and key contributors in early literacy research, providing valuable insights for researchers and decision-makers about future directions and research gaps in the field.

Early intervention speech-language pathologists’ beliefs and practices related to assessing dual language learners

IntroductionEarly intervention (EI) speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are required to provide culturally and linguistically responsive assessments for dual language learners (DLLs). However, SLPs consistently report feeling underprepared to assess DLLs and research demonstrates gaps in implementation of best practices in pediatric outpatient and school-based settings. This study was designed to understand EI SLPs’ beliefs and practices related to assessing DLLs referred to early intervention programs. MethodsA total of 132 EI SLPs completed a survey in which they were asked to describe their assessment procedures for a DLL case scenario and were further asked to identify the degree to which they agreed with a variety of assessment practices for assessing DLLs. ResultsResults revealed that EI SLPs’ beliefs aligned with best practices for assessing DLLs. However, substantial gaps exist between EI SLPs’ beliefs and their self-reported practices for assessing DLLs. ConclusionsThese results suggest DLLs may not be receiving evidence-based EI assessments, leading to the potential perpetuation of both over- and under-diagnosis of speech and language delays within this population. Implications include the need to increase the quality of EI SLPs assessment practices through additional training, the removal of systems-level barriers, and the continued need for increased training within preprofessional training programs.

Heritage language development in Spanish-English-speaking preschoolers: Influences on growth and challenges in the first year of English-only instruction.

This study investigates the changes in the Spanish lexical and grammatical skills of 26 Spanish-English dual language learners during their first year of preschool. We also explore the impact of age, gender, and maternal cultural orientation on children's language outcomes over time. The results show that, despite one year of English-only instruction, the children's Spanish productions became more intelligible, lexically diverse, and grammatical between 3;7 and 4;7. However, Spanish productions were mostly limited to sentence fragments and contained errors in grammatical gender, verb morphology, object clitic pronouns, and prepositions. Girls had an advantage over boys, as attested by the higher lexical diversity, mean length of utterance, and grammaticality of their Spanish productions. Both maternal enculturation and acculturation predicted the grammaticality of children's utterances, suggesting that mothers with high levels of orientation to both Latinx and American culture may be the most successful at promoting Spanish in the United States.

Components of Mathematical Language and Mathematical Ability in 5-Year-Old Dual Language Learners

ABSTRACT A growing body of research suggests that children’s understanding of mathematical language is critical for their mathematical abilities. Most of this work has been restricted to single language learners (i.e., SLLs), and used dual language learners (i.e., DLLs) as an exclusion criterion, raising questions about the generalizability of these findings to DLLs. This is particularly important given the observed differences in the association between general language and mathematics for DLLs as compared to SLLs. In our study, conducted in Belgium, we therefore investigated the associations between components of mathematical language and different mathematical abilities in 75 DLLs and compared them to 75 age- and sex-matched SLLs (M age = 4 years 8 months; 33 females in each group). Unfortunately, the two groups could not be matched on socioeconomic status (i.e., SES), and SES-levels of the parents of DLLs were significantly lower than SES-levels of SLLs. We assessed children’s quantitative and spatial language, their mathematical abilities (numerical competencies, geometry, and measurement), as well as their general vocabulary and spatial skills. All children, including DLLs, were only tested in the language of instruction (i.e., Dutch) in which DLLs exhibited varying levels of proficiency. Results revealed that DLLs obtained lower scores than SLLs in quantitative and spatial language, mathematical abilities, general vocabulary, but not in spatial skills. Associations between components of mathematical language and mathematical abilities were similar across DLLs and SLLs, except for the relation between spatial language and geometry, which was weaker in DLLs.

Does entering early childhood education as a toddler benefit language and social development until age seven? A propensity score analysis

Is entering into early childhood education (ECE) at a young age a resource or risk for language and social development? For the German National Education Panel Study – Newborn Cohort (analytical n = 2296), we balanced 23 covariates taken in infancy with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and modeled relations between ECE entry age (very early entry <24, early entry 24-35, later entry >35 months) and societal language and social development age three to seven. Very early entry predicted larger vocabulary for dual language learners (DLLs) and children of less educated parents until first grade, implying “buffering effects.” Early entry also predicted vocabulary advantages in first grade. Very early and early entry predicted fewer peer problems until first grade. Very early entry predicted more prosocial behavior for monolinguals, but less for DLLs in first grade. Robustness checks suggested several of these advantages emerge only in diverse populations and revealed disadvantages implying “lost resources.”

Integrating Research-Based Indicators of Emergent Biliteracy Teaching Practices for Emerging Bilingual Learners

This research explored how bilingual teachers of young Dual Language Leaners ages 0-3 integrated Reyes and Azuara’s (2008) Ecological Model of Emergent Biliteracy in their classrooms to foster bilingualism, biliteracy, and academic success. Dual Language Learners are the fastest-growing population of young children in the country that speak a language other than English. As so, the early childhood workforce must integrate the Ecological Model of Emergent Biliteracy for emergent biliteracy development and equitable emergent biliteracy teaching practices to support the natural biliteracy development of young Spanish-English Dual Language Learners. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and observations and were analyzed using the grounded theory stages of coding. The findings recommend immersing Dual Language Learners in equitable learning opportunities that incorporate their cultural knowledge, languages, experiences, and learning to support the precursors for emerging biliteracy development.

La Rana or El Rana : Dual Language Learners' Grammatical Variability in Narrative Retells

Purpose: This longitudinal study investigated the trajectory of Spanish article accuracy in Spanish–English dual language learners (DLLs) from preschool to first grade, addressing the need for longitudinal data on the variability of Spanish grammatical skills in DLLs in English immersion classrooms. Method: Language sample analysis was conducted on 336 Spanish and English narrative retells elicited from 31 Spanish–English DLLs (range: 45–85 months). Growth curve models captured within- and between-individual change in article accuracy from the beginning of preschool to the end of first grade. Results: As a group, DLLs did not exhibit significant positive or negative growth in Spanish article accuracy over time. On average, article accuracy remained stable at 76% from preschool throughout first grade. Participants exhibited significant variability in article accuracy that was partly explained by changes in Spanish proficiency. Spanish article accuracy was lower for DLLs with lower Spanish proficiency indexed by measures from the Spanish language samples, while English proficiency indexed by the English language samples did not affect Spanish article accuracy. Conclusions: These findings suggest that expectations for Spanish grammatical performance in DLLs need to be adjusted to account for the possible impact of not receiving Spanish support in English immersion school settings. DLLs in these instructional programs do not exhibit article accuracy at a level expected for monolingual Spanish speakers. Significant individual differences in both individual status and growth rates of Spanish article accuracy highlight the broad variability in Spanish language skills of DLLs in the United States.

Higher education faculty beliefs in preparing the early learning and care workforce to work with dual language learners

ABSTRACT Dual language learners (DLLs) represent a large portion of children ages birth through five in the United States. California (CA) is one of the states with the largest DLL populations with about 59% of people in CA identifying as DLLs. While DLLs constitute a large portion of children in California, early learning and care (ELC) educators in California do not receive adequate preparation to work with this population. Institutions of higher education (IHE) are key in supporting the ELC workforce to obtain the skills necessary to work with DLL children. A mixed-method study was conducted to identify the beliefs faculty in California hold regarding preparing the ELC workforce to work with DLLs. One hundred and forty-one early childhood education/child development (ECE/CD) faculty throughout California participated in the study. Results indicated that most of the participants have positive attitudes toward embedding DLL content in ECE/CD courses, but some have reservations about offering DLL-specific courses and teaching courses in languages other than English. Implications for IHEs, policymakers, and research are provided.

Cognitive Distancing Language in Parent-Child Book Sharing Among Low-Income Mexican American and Chinese American Families: Cultural Group Comparisons and Links to Children’s Executive Functions

ABSTRACT Research Findings: In the context of parent-child book sharing, cultural influences on cognitive distancing language and associations with child executive function (EF) have been understudied. This study examined cultural group similarities/differences in parent and child book-sharing distancing language among preschool-aged dual language learners from low-income Mexican American (MA) and Chinese American (CA) families. We further tested concurrent relations between parent/child distancing language and children’s EF. The sample consisted of 88 children (45 MAs, 43 CAs, age = 38–68 months) enrolled in Head Start preschools and their parents. To assess distancing language, utterances were coded for cognitive demand and classified as referential (low demand), behavioral (moderate demand), or inferential (high demand). Cognitive tasks tapping inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility were used to assess child EF. Results showed parents and children from both cultural groups produced comparable numbers of story-related utterances. MA dyads used higher proportions of parent/child inferential statements and a lower proportion of parent referential questions. The proportions of parent behavioral questions and child behavioral statements were positively related to child cognitive flexibility. Practice or Policy: Findings highlight heterogeneity in parent-child verbal interactions among low-income multilingual families and have implications for promoting preschoolers’ cognitive/language development in diverse populations.

Guided Drawing with Preschool Dual Language Learners in Head Start: Building Science Vocabulary and Content Knowledge

Drawing offers a way for young children to demonstrate what they understand about the world. This study reports on the findings from an eight-week intervention program called guided drawing designed to build vocabulary and content knowledge for dual language learners in Head Start settings. Four researcher-designed assessment measures were used to assess thirteen preschoolers’ vocabulary and concept knowledge at the receptive, expressive, and definitional levels in a pre/post-intervention design. Analysis of researcher-designed measures reveals positive changes in all vocabulary and concept knowledge areas targeted by the intervention. Thematic analysis of researcher–child interactions and drawing products indicates the guided drawing intervention provided opportunities and context for every participating child to explore new content and concepts related to science learning; reveal what they know; grow knowledge and vocabulary; reveal misunderstandings; and overhear and adopt new language.

Cognitive demand in parent–child shared book reading and home language development among dual language learners in low-income immigrant families

Aims and objectives: The existing literature indicates that shared book reading is associated with benefits in children’s home language development. Parents play a significant role in shaping children’s language outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations among the quality of parents’ shared book reading, children’s language output, receptive vocabulary, and expressive vocabulary outcomes in the home language of dual language learners (DLLs) to inform book reading practices that can support DLLs’ early home language development. Methodology: 36 Mexican American (43–67 months) and 31 Chinese American (38–70 months) DLLs and their mothers, who were home language dominant, were recruited from Head Start programs, which are federally funded programs that provide early childhood education to low-income children, in Northern California. Data and analysis: Utterances produced by the parents during parent–child shared book reading were coded for cognitive demand levels. DLLs’ home language expressive vocabulary and receptive vocabulary and information about parents’ demographics and parent–child shared reading frequency were collected. Correlations and hierarchical regression analyses were computed. Findings/conclusions: The findings demonstrated possible cultural differences in mothers’ book reading quality regarding cognitive demand. Although maternal statements and questions were not significantly associated with DLLs’ home language receptive and expressive vocabulary for both groups, asking yes/no, referential, and inferential questions were more likely to evoke more language output from DLLs. Originality: This study extends the literature on home language development of low-income DLLs during parent–child shared reading, as only a few studies have investigated the significance of shared reading in the home language. Significance/implications: The findings of this study yield important implications for parents’ shared reading practices with low-income DLLs. Using all levels of cognitively demanding speech and encouraging DLLs to talk during shared reading may benefit their home language development.

Culturally Responsive Literacy Interventions in Speech-Language Pathology: A Scoping Review

Purpose and Method: In this study, the author employed a positivist perspective and framework, utilizing a scoping methodology to systematically explore the extant research literature in speech-language pathology pertaining to literacy interventions for children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Results: The scoping review encompassed 22 studies selected from a pool of 908 sources, uncovering 34 literacy strategies presented in an evidence map. These strategies, intended for both school-age and preschool children, were implemented across diverse populations, including Indigenous communities, dual language learners, and children with disabilities. The strategies identified offer valuable insights for intervention planning and piloting. Conclusions: The review underscores the significance of culturally responsive literacy interventions in fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments for CLD learners. Additionally, two illustrative case studies are presented to exemplify the application of the identified strategies and discussed in the context of implementing Universal Design for Learning principles for all students. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25864624

European Union politicians debating European language education policy

The European Union’s (EU) high regard for multilingualism and linguistic diversity is expressed through its language education policy (LEP), a policy adopted by the European Parliament, which represents all EU member states. However, as education falls within the remit of the member states, EU LEP has an advisory function only. Support for the LEP at national level is thus crucial. By analysing a significant parliamentary discussion by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), this article asks what evidence there is that MEPs support the EU’s goals of learning the mother tongue plus two foreign languages (1+2), and of learning a diversity of languages at school. Secondly, the article investigates current evidence of the success of EU LEP in terms of developing dual language capacities, and of maintaining diversity in language learning. Figures on the learning of two languages, on the learning of English, and on linguistic diversity are compared, covering the last decade. The results reveal that although the training of dual linguists has stagnated, no MEP expressed concerns that the EU goals of 1+2 are not being met. MEPs are, however, concerned with protecting ‘their’ national languages, and the smaller ‘their’ own language(s), the more so. Furthermore, only representatives of large EU languages express concern over English dominance in the EU’s education systems. Thus, parliamentary representatives of smaller languages unite in solidarity for greater status recognition of their language, while MEPs’ support for the EU LEP goal of 1+2 is at best patchy. The article concludes that, given the limited remit of EU LEP, discrepancies between European recommendations and national practices are somewhat inevitable, and that to improve on the 1+2 goal and counter English dominance across education systems in the EU, member states need to be better supported to appreciate and disseminate the rationales for dual language learning (1+2) and diversity in language learning.

Are There Sustained Effects of a Preschool Shared-Reading Intervention Addressing Dual Language Learners?

ABSTRACT Purpose Previous research has demonstrated that immediate effects of language interventions tend to fade, but has also suggested that differentiating language skill types may be essential for understanding fade-out processes. This paper examines the longer-term effects of participating in a shared-reading intervention. Method The study included 464 dual-language learners (DLLs) (49.6% girls) in Norway with a mean age of 52.60 months when the intervention started. They were randomly assigned to an intervention condition receiving a shared-reading program in preschool and at home or a business-as-usual control condition. The children spoke a number of first languages and were second-language speakers of Norwegian. Children’s second-language skills were assessed seven months following the completion of the intervention. We asked whether the developmental advantages induced during the intervention faded or remained when the intervention conditions were no longer present, using autoregressive structural modelling and second-order latent growth modelling to answer the question. Results While some immediate intervention effects disappeared (grammar) or showed tendencies to fade (vocabulary and perspective taking), second-order latent growth modelling suggested that narrative skills emerged. Conclusion The results demonstrate the need to consider skill type in future research on fade-out and offer a longer-term perspective on how DLLs respond to shared-reading interventions.

The influence of student language and student-teacher relationships on student-specific teacher self-efficacy in early childhood

ABSTRACT Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) changes according to context. Limited research has been conducted to understand how TSE can vary in relation to student characteristics or the student-teacher relationship (STR) in preschool. The aims of the current study were to 1) examine student-specific TSE variability among monolingual English-speaking and Spanish-speaking dual language learners (DLLs) and 2) examine the extent to which STR quality moderates the relationship between student language and student-specific TSE. Results demonstrated that when controlling for closeness in the STR, teachers felt higher levels of student-specific TSE in the domains of instructional support and student engagement for English-speaking students versus DLLs. However, teachers reported equal levels of student-specific TSE in the domains of behavior management and emotional support irrespective of student language. Secondly, STR quality did not significantly moderate relationships between language and student-specific TSE. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Enhancing dual language learners’ language learning through parent–teacher partnerships

Families of dual language learners (DLLs) and their linguistic resources play a crucial role in fostering children’s language development. However, there is still a dearth of empirical studies investigating whether bilingual teachers view the families of DLLs and their language resources as assets, and how they implement family engagement practices to leverage these language assets in teaching DLLs. This study examined the family engagement perspectives and practices of five bilingual teachers in New York City (NYC) early childhood classrooms. Qualitative data were collected using online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that bilingual teachers hold a strength-based view of DLLs’ parents and their language resources to support their children’s language learning. Controversially, they demonstrated a mixture of deficit- and strength-based approaches to parental engagement, ranging from educating parents about English homework strategies to arranging classroom events in which parents could highlight their home language practices. Concurrently, teachers were fully aware of the importance of DLLs’ home linguistic resources in supporting students’ language learning, yet they maintained instructional practices that kept DLLs’ home and school language repertoires separate. The implications for fostering strength-based perspectives on DLL families and strength-based DLL family engagement strategies are discussed.

Large-scale investigation of white matter structural differences in bilingual and monolingual children: An adolescent brain cognitive development data study.

Emerging research has provided valuable insights into the structural characteristics of the bilingual brain from studies of bilingual adults; however, there is a dearth of evidence examining brain structural alterations in childhood associated with the bilingual experience. This study examined the associations between bilingualism and white matter organization in bilingual children compared to monolingual peers leveraging the large-scale data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Then, 446 bilingual children (ages 9-10) were identified from the participants in the ABCD data and rigorously matched to a group of 446 monolingual peers. Multiple regression models for selected language and cognitive control white matter pathways were used to compare white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) values between bilinguals and monolinguals, controlling for demographic and environmental factors as covariates in the models. Results revealed significantly lower FA values in bilinguals compared to monolinguals across established dorsal and ventral language network pathways bilaterally (i.e., the superior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus) and right-hemispheric pathways in areas related to cognitive control and short-term memory (i.e., cingulum and parahippocampal cingulum). In contrast to the enhanced FA values observed in adult bilinguals relative to monolinguals, our findings of lower FA in bilingual children relative to monolinguals may suggest a protracted development of white matter pathways associated with language and cognitive control resulting from dual language learning in childhood. Further, these findings underscore the need for large-scale longitudinal investigation of white matter development in bilingual children to understand neuroplasticity associated with the bilingual experience during this period of heightened language learning.

Dual-language Learners’ Questions and Teacher Responses in Shared Reading in Preschool

AbstractThe current study used sequential analysis to examine dual-language learners’ (DLLs) questions and their relations to teacher responses in the context of small-group shared reading in preschool. Participants were 235 DLLs aged 3–5 years and 60 lead teachers from multiethnic preschool classrooms in Norway. Results showed that across four different books, children most often asked information-seeking questions (61–79%). Furthermore, children asked comprehension- and explanation-seeking questions more often than factseeking ones. Sequential analysis showed that the quality of teacher responses was highly dependent on the type of questions DLLs asked: preschool teachers consistently offered more extended and explanatory responses to DLLs’ comprehension- and explanation-seeking questions, compared to other types of questions. Our results suggest that in this way, children actively influence the extended talk they are exposed to during shared reading. Moreover, their questions offer possibilities for further back-and-forth exchanges about topics meaningful to DLLs.

Comparing apples to manzanas and oranges to naranjas: A new measure of English-Spanish vocabulary for dual language learners.

The valid assessment of vocabulary development in dual-language-learning infants is critical to developmental science. We developed the Dual Language Learners English-Spanish (DLL-ES) Inventories to measure vocabularies of U.S. English-Spanish DLLs. The inventories provide translation equivalents for all Spanish and English items on Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) short forms; extended inventories based on CDI long forms; and Spanish language-variety options. Item-Response Theory analyses applied to Wordbank and Web-CDI data (n=2603, 12-18months; n=6722, 16-36months; half female; 1% Asian, 3% Black, 2% Hispanic, 30% White, 64% unknown) showed near-perfect associations between DLL-ES and CDI long-form scores. Interviews with 10 Hispanic mothers of 18- to 24-month-olds (2 White, 1 Black, 7 multi-racial; 6 female) provide a proof of concept for the value of the DLL-ES for assessing the vocabularies of DLLs.

Subgroups within a heterogeneous population: Considering contextual factors that influence the formation of dual language learner profiles in head start.

Subgroups within a heterogeneous population: Considering contextual factors that influence the formation of dual language learner profiles in head start.