SUPPORTING DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN HEAD START: PEER AND TEACHERS’ LANGUAGE CONTEXT

Abstract

Oral language skills have been defined as a set of communication skills and cognitive tools to convey and understand meaning effectively, and one of the key predictors of future academic success. For Dual Language Learners (DLLs), consistent disparities were found in their oral language skills compared to their non-DLL peers. To reduce these gaps this study first explored understanding DLLs’ unique oral language skill development and exposure and interaction with teachers and peers in a classroom context among English-, Spanish-, and Burmese-speaking children using a sample of Head Start children. Analysis revealed disparities in the exposure and interaction, and yearlong oral language growth between Spanish- and Burmese-speaking DLLs and their peers and teachers in the classroom environment. Initially, Spanish-speaking and Burmese-speaking children showed lower English vocabulary skills than their English-speaking peers. However, by the subsequent spring, Spanish-speaking children notably narrowed this gap, while for Burmese-speaking children, the disparity in vocabulary skills widened. Notably, significant differences were observed in the oral language interactions and exposures between DLLs and their peers, with peer interaction emerging as a particularly influential factor. In conclusion, evidence-based culturally responsive teaching strategies are proposed to enhance the oral language development of DLLs within the preschool classroom. These strategies aim to address the observed differences in interaction patterns and exposure, thereby fostering more equitable language development opportunities for DLLs across diverse linguistic backgrounds.