Promoting Language Development from Birth to 5: in One Language or Two

1. Promoting Language Development from Birth to 5:in One Language or Two Barbara Zurer Pearson University of Massachusetts Amherst Rebecca Burns University of South Florida Sarasota

2. National Head Start Dual Language Institute October 29, 2008 Washington, DC “A Time for Action”

3. National Head Start Dual Language Institute October 29, 2008 Washington, DC “A Time for Action”

4. Contact Information Barbara Zurer Pearson, Ph.D. bpearson@research.umass.edu www.zurer.com/pearson c/o UMass Amherst Linguistics & Communication Disorders Rebecca Burns. Ph.D. burnsmr@sar.usf.edu www.sarasota.usf.edu/coe/Burns College of Education/ ESOL University of South Florida-Sarasota Manatee

5. Bilingualism Study Group / University of Miami • Infant Study 25 babies 3 months to 3 years, • Language & Literacy (LLBC) 960 children 5-11 D. K. Oller Sylvia Fernandez Vivian Umbel Maria Fernandez Ana Navarro Alan Cobo-Lewis Rebecca Eilers Virginia Gathercole Vanessa Lewedag Barbara Zurer Pearson NICHD 5R01 HD30762 to D.K. Oller & R. E. Eilers NIDCD Bilingualism Supplement to Longitudinal Infant Vocalizations Project

6. RCMA (Immokalee FL) judith inglese, ceramicist

7. Outline of today’s session • Highlight dual language research w/ implications for practice • Provide tools and strategies for centers and programs to support bilingual children and their families

8. H.S. Dual Language Institute Objectives Addressed • Positive outcomes for children • Strengthened program planning & professional development • Enhanced family involvement • Greater community resources Head Start Dual Language Report p. 24 (all)

9. I. Positive Outcomes for Bilingual Children Huh? That’s not what I heard! Aren’t bilingual children slower to learn? It’s too hard. Don’t bilingual children get confused? They have enough problems with English; the other language just holds them back. These are all myths!

11. First some terminology… • Our “bilingual babies” didn’t speak two languages, not even one! • So, what is “bilingual”? • What do you think? What terms are unfamiliar to you?

12. Yes! Research showspositive outcomes for children • Children growing up in two or more languages is the norm around the world. • The human brain is designed to support multiple languages • The more you know, the easier it is to learn.

13. Yes! Positive Outcomes for Children With home language support: • Children’s learning is continuous • Children’s self-esteem is enhanced • Parents have more recognition as child’s first teacher

14. 1st principle: Learning 2nd language doesn’t require loss of 1st. Hakuta & D’Andrea, 1992

15. Demonstration of subtractive LL From Hakuta & D’Andrea, 1992

16. Demonstration of additive BL From Hakuta & D’Andrea, 1992

17. w/ Nested factorial (Core Design-LLBC, Oller & Eilers, 2002) Monolinguals Bilinguals Only Spanish Home Lang: English & Spanish School:1-way 2-way 1-way 2-way SES: Hi Lo Hi Lo Hi Lo Hi Lo Hi Lo SES (Replicated at Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th Grades)

18. At 5th grade, difference scores for school lang groups

19. At 5th grade, difference scores for the home language groups

20. Positive Outcomes: The Big Picture Bilingual children have better • selective attention • metalinguistic awareness • mental flexibility • continuity between home & school • understanding & tolerance for others • access to a wider world

21. Individual Differences:Factor Analysis of Bilinguals’ English & Spanish Data

22. One child, two languages

24. Commitment to Dual Language Programs II. Program Planning & Professional Development Can you convince your staff, parents, and community of the positive outcomes for children?

25. § 1304.21 Education and early childhood development. a) 4 • (ii) Ensuring opportunities for creative self-expression through activities such as art, music, movement, and dialogue; • (iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children and between children and adults; and • (iv) Supporting emerging literacy and numeracy development through materials and activities according to the developmental level of each child. • (Head Start Performance Standards)

26. Publications Available • Barbara’s website: www.zurer.com/pearson/bilingualchild • Pearson, B. Z. Raising a BL Child • Patton Tabors, One Child, Two Languages • WestEd article, in Concepts of Care, (also en español--aquí) • OHS Dual Language Report • Sign up sheet for those without internet access

27. Language Policy Goals: Zero to 3 and newcomers • Continuity of care • Caregivers speaking their best language • Reinforcing (or introducing) the language of the community

28. Policy Goals: 3 to 5 years • Continuity of care = learning experiences in home lang. • Caregivers speaking their best language • Reinforcing (or introducing) the language of the community

29. Planning for bilingual children doesn’t change the basics: Provide for • Safety, health, and security • Supportive caregivers • Opportunities for experience and interaction for children, staff, and parents (It’s harder to prevent a child from learning than it is to help them learn!)

30. Language Planning • There is no single, “right” way

31. 1. Child & Caregivers Speak the Same Language • Continuity between home and childcare setting • Caregivers speaking their own language

32. 2. Child and Caregivers have different L1 • Caregivers speaking their own language • Child has experience with community language

33. 3. Caregivers speak community language as a second language • Child has experience with community language

34. 4. Mixed Languages • Continuity between home and childcare setting • Caregivers speaking their own language • Child has experience with community language

35. Tubes--Bilingual comfort level

36. Ideal program plan for mixed groups • Every child has support in home language. How much is enough? Speech & language intervention model: minimum 30 min, 3 x week

37. Ideal program plan for mixed groups How do we find the staff to provide the home language experiences? We have too many languages!

38. Ideal program plan for mixed groups will need Language volunteers parents community Bilingual staff Media- (books, audio, video, labels)

39. The role of media in language development • Motive and opportunity • Interaction provides opportunity • Media contribute to motivation (at this age)

40. What does every child need for language development? • Responsiveness • Warm, positive interactions • One on one attention and conversation • Listening • Integration with the group • Respect for background • (Praise doesn’t hurt.) Some are better in L1, Others can be done in L2.

41. Main Take-home message for Language Strategies • Listen • Build from the child • (Respond responsively) • Expand the child’s utterance • Recast, don’t correct • Repetition, repetition, repetition

42. Best PracticesMeaningful Language Interaction • Language is the Key: Talking and Playing & Talking and Books • Follow the CAR • Follow the child’s lead • Comment and wait • Ask questions and wait • Respond by adding a little more and wait Contact Lora Heulitt at the National Head Start Family Literacy Center for more information. lora.heulitt@csuci.edu • El Idioma Es la Clave: Conversación y Juego Y Conversación y Libros • Siguiendo el CARRO • Seguir la guía del niño • Comentar y esperar • Averigüar (hacer preguntas) y esperar • Responder, aumentando un poco más • Repitir Otra vez en español (the home language)

43. Talking with children: the big picture • Children need adult language modeling • Children need lots of opportunities to practice talking Requires a balance

44. Burns, 1992

46. Clearest message? • Teachers 1 & 2: TALK LESS • Teacher 4: TALK MORE • Teacher 3: Tell us your secret!

47. The Secret: Children’s Personal Stories • Children told more personal stories with Teacher #3 • With all teachers children used their most complex language when telling personal stories

48. Go online for great narrative clip • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s2-onN7d9s

49. Recognizing kinds of talk • Personal stories • Expository talk (like a book) • (Quizzing) • Task accompaniment (self-talk) • Management

50. Another language secret: stop quizzing Children did the least amount of talking with teachers who did the most amount of quizzing. Quizzing is not warm, nurturing communication.