Bilingual and Multilingual Learning in Early Childhood

In an increasingly diverse and globalized world, many families recognize the value of speaking multiple languages, and early childhood education programs can help cultivate multilingual skills in both children who speak other languages at home and monolingual children learning another language at school. This course focuses on the practical application of research and theory about children’s multilingual language acquisition from birth to six years. Participants will learn how to create a welcoming classroom culture for children with diverse identities and experiences, and to develop effective teaching strategies to meet the needs of young multilingual learners (children who are developing proficiency in more than one language). Participants will explore how to offer a developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate classroom ecology that honors families and supports both English language development and learning additional languages. The course specifically addresses techniques for language transfer, maintaining children’s home language strength, supporting biliteracy, engaging children’s families, and using identity and culture as funds of knowledge to enrich the language and cultural experience in the curriculum and in the classroom.