Supporting bilingual children in the early years

> A socio-cultural view on early years education for bilingual children

> The importance of play for cultural and language learning

> Why support bilingualism?

> Stages of early bilingual learning

> Strategies for monolingual practitioners

> The role of bilingual practitioners

> Listening to bilingual children

QTS Standards

This section provides support for initial teacher educators, school based mentors and other practitioners to introduce student practitioners to the needs of young bilingual children in the early years. It will also be of interest to trainee teachers. The term ‘bilingual children’ is used throughout to refer to those children who in their daily lives operate in more than one language; the term does not suggest equal competence or fluency in these languages.

Young 3-5 year old children who are learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) and their language learning needs are sometimes overlooked in educational texts, as well as in schools and settings, because it is assumed that young children will ‘pick up’ English naturally and very quickly. This strand presents an overview of the complexities involved, examines play as a vehicle for learning in general and especially for learning a new language, and highlights the critical role of monolingual and bilingual practitioners.

Many ITE educators find that considering individual learners helps student teachers to begin to understand the processes and complexities of bilingualism and additional language acquisition. Within this strand we introduce vignettes of four different and unique children who are already skilful communicators in their home languages and competent learners at home. Two boys, Amadur and Mohiuddin who are of British-Bangladeshi background and nearly 5 years old, have just entered a Reception class. Samia and Nazma, two girls of British-Pakistani background, are 4 years old and attend two different nursery classes. The complexity of early bilingual development is illuminated by a vignette of Samia 'playing school' at home with her younger brother and one of Nazma's interactions with a bilingual practitioner. These children’s experiences highlight the need to consider all learning and development holistically; to acknowledge the inter relationship between children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual learning and development. Real life experiences such as play, relationships and environments shape children’s learning. In this strand we focus on the social contexts in which learning occurs and in which bilingualism can be developed, promoted and maintained. The critical role of practitioners, both bilingual and monolingual, in young children’s emerging bilingualism is also discussed.

Since September 2008 onwards all early years settings have been part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and this phase of education covers the learning and development of all children from 0-5 years. The EYFS presents four guiding themes: A Unique Child; Positive Relationship; Enabling Environments; and Learning and Development. Government guidance on best practice in working with bilingual children in the EYFS can be found at http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk

/downloader/a2134b99eff6802ea52dcfaf9e17f08c.pdf

Section Editor

Carrie Cable

Maggie Gravelle

Contributing Authors

Rose Drury

Leena Robertson

First published 21st February 2008

Updated 20th January 2009

Further Reading and References

Baker, C. (1996)  Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 2nd Edition. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters

BBC (2006) Learning languages ‘boosts brain’. Accessed 10 January 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3739690.stm

Ben-Zeev, S. (1977) The influence on cognitive strategy and cognitive development. Child Development, 48, pp. 1009-1018

Bialystok, E. (1991) Metalinguistic dimensions of bilingual proficiency. In Bialystok, E. (ed.) Language Processing in Bilingual Children. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Brooker, L. (2005) Learning to be a child: Cultural diversity and early years ideology. In Yelland, N. (ed) Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education. Maidenhead: Open University Press

Chen, Y. (2007) Contributing to success: Chinese parents and the community school. In Conteh, J., Martin, P. and Robertson, L. H. (eds) Multilingual Learning Stories in Schools and Communities in Britain. Stoke-On-Trent: Trentham Books

Clark, A. and Moss, P. (2001) Listening to Young Children, The Mosaic Approach. National Children’s Bureau and Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Clarke, P. (1992) English as a 2nd Language in Early Childhood. FKA Multicultural Resources Centre. Richmond: Victoria, Australia

Clarke, P (2004) Creating Positive Environments that promote speaking and listening - NALDIC Conference Report Watford: NALDIC Accessed 16 February 2007 http://www.naldic.org.uk/docs/events/documents/Creatingpositiveenvironments.pdf

Conteh, J., Martin, P. and Robertson, L. H. (2007) Multilingual learning stories in schools and communities: issues and debates. In Conteh, J., Martin, P. and Robertson, L. H. (eds) Multilingual Learning Stories in Schools and Communities in Britain. Stoke-On-Trent: Trentham Books

Cummins, J. (2000) Language, Power and Pedagogy. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters

DES (Department of Education and Science) (1975) A Language For Life (The Bullock Report), London: HMSO

DfEE (Department for Education and Employment) (2000) Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.  London: DfEE and QCA

DfES (Department for Education and Skills) (2007) Early Years Foundation Stage. Nottingham: DfES Publications.

Accessed 10 January 2008 from http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs

Diaz, R. and Klingler, C. (1991) Towards an explanatory model of the interaction between bilingualism and cognitive development. In Bialystok, E. (ed) Language Processing in Bilingual Children. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Drury, R. (2007) Young Bilingual Learners at Home and School. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham

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James, A. and Prout, A. (1997) Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood (2nd edition). London: Falmer

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Kenner, C. (2004) Becoming Biliterate: young children learning different writing systems. Stoke-On-Trent: Trentham Books Limited

McLaughlin, B. (1992) Educational Practice Report :5 Myths and Misconceptions about second language learning: What every teacher needs to unlearn NCBE Accessed 16 February 2007 http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/ncrcdsll/epr5.htm

Ochs, E. (1988) Introduction. In B. Schiefflin, & E. Ochs (eds) Language Socialisation across cultures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Primary National Strategy (PNS) (2007) Supporting children learning English as an additional language: Guidance for practitioners in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Nottingham: Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) Publications. Accessed 20 January 2009 from

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Rinaldi, C. (2005) In dialogue with Reggio Emilia. London: Routledge

Robertson, L. H. (2002) Parallel literacy classes and hidden strengths: learning to read in English, Urdu and classical Arabic. Reading, literacy and language (UKRA), November, 36/3, pp. 119-126

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I. and Taggart, B. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report. London:DfES.

Accessed 10 January 2008 from http://www.surestart.gov.uk/publications/?Document=1160

Tabors, P. (1997) One Child, Two Languages: a guide for Preschool Educators of Children Learning English as a Second Language. Baltimore: Paul Brookes Publishing

Training and Development Agency for Schools (2007) Professional Standards for Teachers Qualified Teacher Status London:TDA  Retrieved 20th February, 2008, from http://www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/pdf/s/standards_qts.pdf

Training and Development Agency for Schools (2007) Guidance to accompany the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) London:TDA Retrieved 20th February, 2007, from http://www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/doc/q/qts_standards_guidance_2007.doc

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Tizard, B. & Hughes, M. (1984) Young Children Learning. London: Fontana

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

Willett, J. (1995) Becoming first graders in an L2 classroom: An ethnographic study of L2 socialisation. TESOL Quarterly, 29, 473-503