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Early Childhood Instruction of Dual Language Learners
June 2022 - What strategies do teachers use when working with dual language learners (DLLs), and what practices might best support their learning? These questions were a major theme of AIR’s work on the First 5 DLL Pilot Study, and we are pleased to present a set of four research briefs containing our findings on classroom instruction for DLLs and their language and learning outcomes:
- Relationships Between Teacher Language Use in the Classroom and Outcomes for Preschool-Aged Dual Language Learners: How specific classroom language use practices relate to language and learning outcomes for preschool-aged DLLs from four different language backgrounds (Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Mandarin).
- A Deeper Look at Classroom Language Approaches and How They Relate to Language Skills and Other Outcomes for Dual Language Learners: How preschool-aged DLLs’ learning outcomes differ in classrooms with different English and Spanish language use profiles.
- Promising Strategies for Supporting Dual Language Learners, Regardless of the Languages Teachers Speak: How classroom practices that teachers can use regardless of their language backgrounds relate to language and learning outcomes for preschool-aged DLLs.
- Relationships Between Classroom Practices and Language and Development Among Dual Language Learner Infants and Toddlers: How classroom practices relate to language and learning outcomes for infant and toddler DLLs.
- Description of the Sample of Preschool-Aged DLLs Included in Analyses of Instruction: Contains context and background information on the sample used for the first three briefs in the series.
Experiences of Families of Dual Language Learners During COVID-19
June 2022 - To learn more about how dual language learners (DLLs) and their families fared during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, AIR surveyed 1400 parents as part of the First 5 DLL Pilot Study. Find out about their child care arrangements, economic experiences, and children's social-emotional well-being. Read more here >>
Professional Development for Teachers of Young Dual Language Learners and Its Connection to Teacher Beliefs and Practices
May 2022 - How can professional development (PD) help shape the beliefs and practices of early childhood teachers who work with dual language learners (DLLs)? AIR surveyed over 600 teachers in 171 early learning and care programs to learn more about their DLL-focused PD experiences and examine how these experiences relate to their beliefs about bilingualism and classroom practices.
Read the quick facts here >>
Read the full report here >>
Engaging Dual Language Learner Families in Their Children’s Early Education
April 2022 - How do parents of dual language learners (DLLs) feel about bilingualism, and how can early educators best engage them to support their children’s learning? AIR surveyed almost 1800 parents to learn more about how early learning and care programs engage families of DLLs.
Read the quick facts here >>
Read the full report here >>
Math Skills Among Spanish-Speaking DLLs: Implications for Assessments
June 2021 - This brief examines Spanish-speaking DLLs' math skills and assessed in English and their home language. Many of these children, particularly Spanish-dominant students, score higher on math assessments administered in Spanish. Assessing only in English may underestimate their skills. Read more here >>
Quick Facts: How Early Learning and Care Programs Identify Dual Language Learners
May 2021 - This Quick Facts shares findings from a survey of early learning program administrators about ways they identify dual language learners (DLLs) in their programs and the types of information they collect. The brief highlights the variation in approaches to collecting data about DLLs across programs and the frequent reliance on informal methods of identifying DLLs. It underscores the need to have consistent data about the DLLs served in those programs in order for state policymakers to make well-informed decisions about distributing resources to programs to support DLLs, such as staff training and bilingual materials. Read more here >>
Approaches to Supporting Dual Language Learners in California's Early Learning and Care Programs
May 2021 - This paper shares findings from a survey of administrators who are a state-representative sample of early learning and care programs who reported on their programmatic efforts to support DLLs. The brief describes the high level of linguistic diversity of children and staff in early learning programs in the state of California, the various beliefs, policies, and priorities that guide their program approaches for DLLs, and the different instructional practices and supports that are implemented for DLLs at the site. The brief concludes with a set of key policy considerations, situated in the context of California's new Master Plan for Early Learning and Care. Read more here >>
Challenges in Assessing California’s Diverse Dual Language Learners
Feb. 2021 - This paper begins by discussing some of the issues that arise when conducting research with young DLLs and the challenges that result from the lack of high-quality, validated assessments in multiple languages. The First 5 California DLL Pilot Study serves as a case study of how these issues and challenges might be addressed. Next, this paper explains how researchers on the First 5 DLL study have responded to the lack of high-quality assessments in multiple languages by instead using assessments that have either been translated or adapted, again presenting the First 5 California DLL Pilot study as an example. Finally, we conclude with a call to action and discussion of possible next steps. Read more here >>
Professional Development to Support Teachers of Young Dual Language Learners in California
Dec. 2020 - This brief presents a snapshot of professional development challenges, requirements, and supports for early learning and care programs serving DLLs across the state. Findings described here are from a survey of a representative sample of early learning program administrators in 16 California counties, conducted as part of the First 5 California DLL Pilot Study.
Read the quick facts here >>
Read the full report here >>
Quick Facts: The Landscape of Early Learning and Care Programs Serving Dual Language Learners in California
Oct. 2020 - This brief presents a snapshot of early learning and care programs serving dual language learners (DLLs) across California. DLLs, defined as children who are learning another language in addition to English, make up 60% of the state’s children ages birth to 5 years. The following findings are from a survey of a representative sample of early learning program administrators in 16 California counties, conducted as part of the First 5 California DLL Pilot Study. Read more here >>
The Early Learning and Care Context for Dual Language Learners in California
Jan. 2020 - Initial findings from the First 5 California-funded Dual Language Learner Pilot Study indicate that overall beliefs about bilingualism and policies in place to support dual language learners (DLLs) are shifting in a direction that promotes the development of young DLLs’ bilingualism. However, there are still systemic challenges that limit implementation of high-quality instruction for DLLs. This first research brief from the statewide study of the learning contexts, supports, and outcomes for California DLLs and their families summarizes the perspectives of county-level leaders on the context, challenges, and guidance for DLL caregivers in their counties, which in turn impact practices in the classroom. This brief also offers examples of successful practices to support DLLs in their communities and concludes with implications and next steps for the study. Read more here >>