Dual Language Learners - Effective Instruction in Early Childhood

Concern over the achievement of this population of students has led to a large number of recent research reviews and professional publications aimed at improving preschool DLL's [dual language learners] educational opportunities. In this article, we survey the growing body of research to help inform educators responsible for creating settings for our young DLLs.

We organize our review of the research by addressing four key topics:

1. Employing children's home language in the early childhood curriculum;
2. Comparing effective practices for DLLs and English speakers in English-only programs;
3. Promoting language development in English and the home language; and
4. Involving families in supporting children's language learning.