Many Languages, One Classroom: Teaching Dual and English Language Learners

Many Languages, One Classroom

by Karen N. Nemeth

Acknowledgments

Because language is practically nothing without the relationships that give it life:

In awe of my daughters, Leah and Larissa, who started out as my inspiration, then grew up to be wonderful teachers, and are now my valued advisors.

In memory of my mom, Joan Ty Nelson, who touched the lives of thousands of young children throughout her teaching career and inspired me to love their language.

In appreciation of Marc Bjorkman, whose persistent support and insightful collaboration helped me get this book off the ground.

In gratitude for Gryphon House editors Kathy Charner and Kate Kuhn, who graciously shared their expertise and helped me learn to look at my own words in a whole new way.

Thank you all!

Also by Karen Nemeth: Many Languages, Building Connections: Supporting Infants and Toddlers Who Are Dual Language Learners

© 2009 Karen Nemeth

Published by Gryphon House, Inc.

PO Box 10, Lewisville, NC 27023

800.638.0928 (toll free); 877.638.7576 (fax)

Visit us on the web at www.gryphonhouse.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Every effort has been made to locate copyright and permission information.

Cover Art: Straight Shots Product Photography, Ellicott City, MD © 2007.

Illustrations: Chris Wold Dyrud.

Reprinted December 2013

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Information

Nemeth, Karen.

Many languages, one classroom / by Karen Nemeth.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-87659-087-4

1. English language--Study and teaching (Preschool)--United

States--Foreign speakers. 2. Second language acquisition--United States. 3.

Education, Bilingual--United States. 4. Education, Preschool--United

States. I. Title.

PE1128.A2N3736 2009

428.2’4--dc22

2009007021

Bulk purchase

Gryphon House books are available for special premiums and sales promotions as well as for fund-raising use. Special editions or book excerpts also can be created to specification. For details, contact the Director of Marketing at Gryphon House.

Disclaimer

Gryphon House, Inc. and the author cannot be held responsible for damage, mishap, or injury incurred during the use of or because of activities in this book. Appropriate and reasonable caution and adult supervision of children involved in activities and corresponding to the age and capability of each child involved, is recommended at all times. Do not leave children unattended at any time. Observe safety and caution at all times.

Foreword

This book fills a serious gap in our professional toolbox: How to design and implement curriculum for young children who are learning English as they continue to learn their home language. As this is our fastest growing and most academically vulnerable segment of the preschool population, Many Languages, One Classroom is a welcome and timely resource. It is written for teachers and administrators who are faced with the daily challenges of meeting the linguistic, social, cognitive, and physical needs of children who are often adjusting to a new country while they are learning a new language. The suggestions and practices described are concrete, highly practical, and accessible for preschool teachers, while the overall approaches are based on current, rigorous research. It is written in a down-to-earth style that preschool teachers will appreciate; however, the content accurately represents the complexity of the scientific knowledge.

As I conduct professional development sessions around the country, one of the most pressing needs expressed by teachers and administrators is, How can I promote overall language and academic development for my students who do not understand English, and How can I honor the child’s home language while fostering English acquisition? Many Languages, One Classroom goes a long way toward answering both questions. A basic premise of this book—that we need to accept the languages children bring with them into preschool classrooms as linguistic strengths—is reflected in Ms. Nemeth’s decision to use the term dual language learners (DLL) rather than English language learners.

The term DLL reflects the value of knowing more than one language, not just the goal of rapidly learning English, possibly at the expense of the child’s home language. The need to value and support each DLL child’s home language while also fostering English acquisition is consistent with current research on how bilingual children learn through both languages.

The author states her philosophy of early education for young dual language learners, …our goal is not to teach children English…our goal is to teach children…and to help their English develop along the way (page 20). This approach requires that teachers have deep knowledge of each child’s language abilities, strengths, and needs so that the cognitive and linguistic demands can be adjusted according to how each DLL responds. No magic formula applies to all young DLL children or to the variety of early childhood programs that currently exist.

Deciding on the most appropriate strategy will require consideration of many factors: The personnel and financial resources available, the community values, the individual languages and backgrounds of the DLL children in each classroom, as well as the abilities of the teachers. Luckily, the curriculum suggestions presented in Many Languages, One Classroom contain a range of options that can be tailored to the specific conditions of any early childhood classroom. In fact, the specific activities described reflect good early childhood practices for all children—with adaptations that improve their effectiveness for dual language learners.

The chapters are organized according to seven centers (dramatic play area, outdoor play area, library reading area, small toy/manipulative area, writing area, science, and block area) and two daily periods (meal time and welcome/circle time). Included in each chapter are suggestions for materials, activities, links to state standards, home learning extensions, technology tips, and reflection questions for teachers. In addition, the author’s extensive Introduction presents 10 basic principles for teaching dual language learners (see pages 20–22). These principles are clearly informed by current research and form the foundation for making appropriate curriculum adaptations for dual language learners.

One of the strengths of Many Languages, One Classroom is the concrete, practical nature of the strategies. The materials, activities, links, and extensions contain excellent suggestions for all early childhood educators, but are especially important for those working with children who are learning English as a second language. For example, the suggestion to use visuals, photos, body language, gestures, and facial expressions to reinforce the messages in the dramatic play area will help all children better understand the intended communication, but may be a critical aspect of engaging DLL children in the classroom activities.

Because all states that have public funding for preschool also have state early learning standards, the Links to Standards section in each chapter helps practitioners better understand how each particular lesson/activity promotes progress toward important content standards. Suggestions about using a welcoming activity during circle time to promote math and science concepts underscore the integrated learning of preschoolers across multiple curriculum domains.

I enthusiastically agree with the author when she asserts that during the next decade we will see a greatly expanded research base on young dual language learners. My hope is that this book will contribute to the bridging of the research world with the reality of practitioners who need research-based curriculum guidance, and that early childhood educators will be motivated to continue to learn new strategies as our knowledge of best practices for dual language learners continues to grow.

—Linda M. Espinosa, Ph.D.

Former Professor of Early Childhood Education

University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, Missouri Introduction

Introduction

Teachers work in increasingly diverse classrooms. Ten years ago, the teacher who asked me for guidance about supporting English language learners (ELLs) was the exception. Now most teachers have at least one child in their classroom who speaks a different home language. Not only are teachers encountering more children who are new to English, but they are also faced with an increasing variety of different languages. As challenging as these changes may be, an early childhood teacher’s goal remains the same: To welcome all children and give them the best possible start in education and in life.

Even the most experienced teachers can feel a bit unsure about how to meet the unique needs of children from different language backgrounds. Early childhood teacher preparation programs devote little time to the subject of supporting dual language learners, and teacher-preparation programs for English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education have not addressed the needs of the preschool age group.

The field of ESL teaching has been around for many years—and many wonderful strategies have been developed and tested. Unfortunately, most of these strategies work for children in grades K–12 who have a solid foundation in the language development process. Techniques developed for elementary school students are rarely appropriate for three- and four-year-old children who are just beginning to learn what language is all about.

A wealth of support exists for preschool teachers regarding ways to encourage both early literacy and language development in English. Preschool ELL children need both areas of expertise to come together in a cohesive approach in order to learn English successfully. It is up to the individual teachers and the programs and administrators who support them to make this synthesis happen.

Research to address this situation is now gaining momentum. We do not have any comprehensive studies that clearly chart the right path for educators to take when teaching preschool ELLs (Freedson-Gonzalez, 2008). Each teacher and each educational leader must decide what will work for the children they have in the context of the curriculum they use and the standards that guide them.

Research does show that children need to continue learning in their home language even as they begin to transition to English (Espinosa, 2007). According to Jim Cummins (2008), "The research is very clear about