CHAPTER 3: Language Development Among Children of Linguistic Diversity

1. CHAPTER 3:Language Development Among Children of Linguistic Diversity Modified by Dr. Laura Taddei Language Development in Early Childhood Education Fourth Edition Beverly W. Otto

2. Culture and Language • Complex relationships between culture and language • Sapir-Whorf hypothesis – the way we think and view our world is determined by our language • Culture-specific language forms • Sociolinguistics – relationship between linguistic behavior and social situations, roles, and functions

3. What other differences can you think of between cultures and language? • Discuss the patterns of interactions discussed in chapter 2 and how they may differ? • How do you think social roles might differ between adults and children depending on culture? • What else?

4. Cultural Context of Families and Language Development • Ethnography (participant observation in real life situations – focusing on social and cultural factors) • Heath’s research • Family “talkativeness” – the more talking in the family, the higher level of language development in children • Hart and Risley’s research • Page 61

5. Socialization Mismatch Theory • Hypothesis that children are more likely to succeed in school when they are in an environment where socialization patterns are similar between their home and school. • Ways patterns may differ: • Amount of talk • Participation of young children as conversation partners • Opportunities children have to explain or give personal interpretation of events • Types of questions asked of children during storybook sharing • Forms of narrative that are used (fiction, nonfiction, ongoing narratives)

6. Implications for the Classroom • Enhance language development • Encourage development of linguistic flexibility so children can communicate in a wide variety of settings.

7. Language Diversity: Overview • Differences in • Dialects • Registers • Languages

8. Idiomatic Expressions Activity • Languages and dialects reflect the settings and cultures in which they are used • Idiomatic expressions are fixed phrases of words whose meaning is derived holistically rather than literally • Examples: • Dish it out; play it by ear; toot one’s horn; put his foot in his mouth • Any others? • Why might this be confusing for an English Language Learner

9. Dialects • Specialized variations of a language • Cultural, social and geographic influences • Distinct systematic features • Phonological: creek or crick • Semantic: drinking fountain or bubbler • Syntactic: I don’t got no help or I have no time to help • Morphemic: gonna or goin/going to going • Pragmatic

10. Examples of Dialects • Standard American English • Regional differences (Southern Dialect to a Northern Dialect) • African American English or BE (Black English) • Regional difference See Table 3.1 page 65 • Implication: Encourage linguistic flexibility and bidialectism; teachers must recognize and value the dialect/home language of every child

11. Language Registers • Specific ways of using language differently in different settings • Conversations • Dramatic play • Social routines • Classroom discourse

12. Academic English Register • Language used in specific ways for specific purposes in academic settings • Features • Semantic • Syntactic • Morphemic • Pragmatic

13. Importance of Academic English Register • Language of instruction • Related to academic achievement • “Language of power” (Delpit) – used in many government and corporate environments • Teacher’s role – encourage children to examine their use of language in different settings.

14. Second Language Acquisition • Challenges for educators to provide children with opportunities to • Learn knowledge and skills • Develop language competencies

15. Becoming Bilingual • Simultaneous bilingualism • Successive bilingualism • Language interference • Code mixing • Code switching

16. Activity – Small Group • Group 1 – Benefits of bilingualism • Group 2- Challenges faced by second language learners • Group 3 – Factors influencing second language acquisition • Group 4 – Conversational proficiency and Academic Language Proficiency needed

17. Benefits of Bilingualism • Higher levels of metalinguistic awareness • Greater and earlier awareness of language structure • Wider perspectives • Increased social skills

18. Factors Influencing Second Language Acquisition • Learner characteristics • Linguistic Input • Social setting

19. Activity – Explore the Programs for Second Language Learners • Group 1 – English as a Second Language • Group 2 – Bilingual Education • Group 3 – Immersion Programs • Group 4 – Submersion Approach • Group 5 – Foreign languages in elementary school/FLES

20. Programs for Second Language Learners • Key aspects • Language assessment and Home Language Survey/HLS • Focus on language competencies • Conversational proficiency • Academic language proficiency

21. Current Approaches • English as a Second Language/ESL • Transitional Bilingual Education/TBE • Developmental Bilingual Education • Immersion Programs • Dual Language • Second Language Immersion • Submersion • Foreign Languages in Elementary School/FLES

22. Guidelines for Teachers • Examine your own perspective • Create a positive classroom environment • Build on first language competencies • Create a learning community