Bilingual Education For Preschool Children

This volume provides an up-to-date collection of key aspects related to current preschool bilingual education research from a socio-linguistic perspective. The focus is on preschool bilingual education in multilingual Europe, which is characterized by diverse language models and children's linguistic backgrounds. The book explores the contemporary perspectives on early bilingual education in light of the threefold theoretical framework of child's, teachers', and parents' agencies in interaction in preschool bilingual education. Five significant theoretical concepts are promoted in this volume: the ecology of language learning, an educational partnership for bilingualism, a notion of agency in early language development and education, language-conducive contexts, and language-conducive strategies. The volume examines preschool bilingual education as embedded in specific socio-cultural contexts on the one hand and highlights its universal features on the other. The book is a fundamental read for scholars and students of second language teaching, preschool education, and bilingual education in multilingual and multicultural societies.

A review of ERIC literature, descriptions of 20 preschool bilingual education programs around the world, and information obtained that would be useful in Swedish program development and research are presented. A section giving background on bilingual education looks at types of programs, relationships of programs with external factors, assimilation versus cultural pluralism, the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, the English as a second language approach, and the bilingual-bicultural approach. A section describing the 20 programs outlines their characteristics (language group, goals, language distribution, staff, materials, teacher training, parental involvement, evaluation, and evaluation results), language training programs and methods, teacher training, the relationship of bilingual education and the home (programs emphasizing some parental involvement and recommendations made in the literature for parental involvement), and available resources and resource centers. A final review section looks at the importance of considering background factors in program development, methodological and group factors related to language learning, parental involvement, local versus centralized support for teacher training and materials development, and the importance of program evaluation. (MSE)

In this volume, the editors aim to offer a timely focus on preschool bilingual education in the 21st century by drawing attention to the following trends: (1) the diversity of language models and their hybrid, dynamic and flexible nature; (2) the complexities of children's linguistic backgrounds; (3) children's, parents' and teachers' agencies in interaction; and (4) early bilingual development and education as contextually embedded. Given the complexity of providing a global and comprehensive view of these trends in just one issue, the selection of studies included here seeks to offer insightful consideration of these trends using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods. The contributors explore the trends in different socio-cultural and national contexts in five countries: Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Israel and Singapore. The book highlights the need on the one hand to examine early bilingual education within specific socio-cultural contexts, and on the other to search for its universal features. It aims to promote the field of preschool bilingual education as a unique research domain by illustrating its distinctiveness. Last but not least, the studies presented here have a significant contribution to make in the light of the growing interest of policy-makers, ethno-linguistic community leaders, practitioners and researchers in early bilingual development and education. This book was originally published as a special issue of International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.

A study of the beliefs and practices of parents and educators raising future generations of multilingual children.

Worldwide, more parents are opting for immersion pre-schooling for their children in order to benefit from its linguistic, educational, and cultural benefits. This immersion can be either bilingual or monolingual, aimed at early second language learning, or at language maintenance – offering minority language children mother-tongue support and enrichment. This book examines some of the key issues and policy concerns relating to immersion education in the early years. The term itself can be difficult in some political contexts, as can the differing outcomes noted by studies comparing monolingual programmes, and bilingual programmes for minority language children. The importance of training in immersion methodology for educators is discussed, as is the need to adapt preschool pedagogical practices to the immersion context, in order to provide optimal input for young language learners. One of the most pressing discussions surrounds differentiated provision – ensuring that the varying needs of children with language impairment, typical second language learners, and mother-tongue speakers with significant socioeconomic or linguistic disadvantages are all met. Overall, the book explores the challenges currently facing the sector, particularly with regard to training and professional development for practitioners, and the provision of appropriate materials in less widely used languages. Given the documented benefit of high quality immersion pre-schooling, this book fulfils an urgent need to increase the recognition of the sector. This book was published as a special issue of International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.

This comprehensive textbook prepares early childhood educators to effectively work with and support young children (ages 0-8) with diverse languages, cultures, and learning needs. With a multipurpose, multilevel format, this dynamic resource focuses on the central role of language development and culture in all aspects of learning. Adaptable chapters cover curriculum, family involvement, co-teaching, classroom environment and more, and feature both brief and deeper study versions of the material, alongside a wealth of case examples and implementation strategies. Accompanied by an online instructor’s manual, this ground-breaking text is an ideal resource for students and educators in early childhood and second language education, and all fields that work with young children, and all fields that work with young children.