This study examined dual language learners’ (DLLs n = 24) and English‐only (EO n = 20) children's expressive and receptive language in kindergarten (Mage = 5.7 years) as well as the relation to peers’ language use. Expressive language skills (vocabulary diversity, syntactic complexity) were measured in the fall, winter, and spring (2014–2015 year). Receptive language skills (vocabulary, sentence comprehension) were measured in the fall and spring. Findings revealed increases in children's expressive and receptive language, except in terms of syntactic complexity. Moreover, peers’ vocabulary diversity was positively associated with children's vocabulary diversity. Peers’ syntactic complexity was positively associated with children's syntactic complexity and receptive vocabulary. Findings suggest that peers’ language use may influence DLLs’ and EO children's language learning.

No abstract

No abstract

This study examined the relation between middle school Dual Language Learners’ (DLLs’; N = 413; M age = 11.66 years old; 87.1% Latino; female = 234, male = 179) reading comprehension skills and their teachers’ (N = 32; M age = 36.53 years; 81.3% Caucasian; female = 27, male = 5) questioning practices across the school year. This study also examined relations between DLLs’ engagement in high-quality discussion practices, language efficacy (i.e., beliefs about their capabilities to use language), and reading comprehension. Results demonstrated that teachers’ use of authentic (open-ended) questions was positively related to their DLL students’ reading comprehension; teachers’ questioning practices were consistent across the year. Results also revealed a positive interaction between DLLs’ high-quality discussion practices and their language efficacy in predicting reading comprehension. That is, when DLLs had higher language efficacy, there was a more positive effect of their high-quality discussion practices on their Spring reading comprehension scores. These findings suggest that teachers’ questioning practices are important in creating classroom environments that promote DLLs’ reading comprehension.