February 20-23, 2024 is National Dual Language Learning Celebration Week. It is typically scheduled the third week of February. This announcement from the National Center on Early Childhood Development may have you wondering about bilingual learning. What does it mean to be a dual language learner?

For decades, education in the United States has supported English Language Learners (ELL students) with limited resources and support or understanding of how language is acquired (Mueller, 2015). However, this quickly changed when research on brain development emerged and allowed educators to investigate how our brains actually develop and acquire language skills. The research over the past 10 years has continued to outline how education can support these amazing little brains as they not only acquire home languages, but how we can support children who are learning English while also learning a different home language. These children are known as Dual Language Learners (DLL students). 

To fully understand Dual Language Learning, we have to first understand language acquisition and development.

READ Welcoming Dual Language Learners

Language Development and Acquisition

Language Acquisition and Development happens when children acquire the forms, meanings, and uses of words and utterances from the linguistic input. Children often begin reproducing the words that they are repetitively exposed to. For young children, you can see this happen as children learn and grow throughout their early childhood years. Through basic communication with young children, the development of language is seen through the hard-wiring instinctive process in our brain (Murphy, 2015). This production of language in education is referred to as our native or home language.

Dual Language Brain Development

When children in America have a different home language than in our early childhood programs, they are actually in the process of learning two languages at the same time. Known as dual language learners Children who are learning two languages during early childhood actually have branch neuron connectors. Yes, they have more wires that develop in their brain to allow them to connect concepts, vocabulary and understanding between the languages. When a new word is introduced, electrical signals pass these branches to help the child understand that there are two words that mean the same thing in different languages. Pretty amazing little brain, right?

How We Can Support Dual Language Learning

How we can support Dual Language Acquisition is pretty simple. First, this is when our patience matters. When introducing new words or concepts to children learning two languages, allow them time to process them. Support them with dual language environments. You don’t need a curriculum to support this. Ask families to assist you with labels in your environment. For example, if you have Spanish home languages, ask families to help you label shelves in Spanish, and English. 

How we support these little brains can also allow us to build a classroom community with families by including them in what we are learning. When you are planning your theme each month, as families for the identifying words in their home language. This allows you to support language development in a way that supports all of the brains in your program.

READ Partnering with Families of Children Who Are Dual Language Learners

Kathy Banks, EdD. Early Childhood Education

Kathy Banks, Professional Development Lead for brightwheel, has 36 years of early childhood education experience. She has held various positions, including teacher, director, multi-site director, Head Start director, CCR&R, and QRIS Director. She currently adjuncts at several colleges and universities and continues to support and inspire educators through training and practical strategies. Kathy has her Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education and is a nationally certified Family and Consumer Science Developmental Educator. Her experience and education make her a scholarly expert in child development and the realities and challenges of teaching and directing every day. 

REFERENCES

• Mueller, J. J., & File, N. K. (2015). Teacher Preparation in Changing Times: One Program’s Journey Toward Re-Vision and Revision. Journal Of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 36(2), 175-192. doi:10.1080/10901027.2015.1030521