When Learning a Second Language Does Not Mean Losing the First: Bilingual Language Development in Low‐Income, Spanish‐Speaking Children Attending Bilingual Preschool

Abstract

This article discusses two investigations which explored the bilingual language development outcomes of comparable groups of low-income, Spanish-speaking, Mexican American children who either did or did not attended a bilingual (Spanish/English) preschool. Study 1 is a replication of a study by Rodríguez, Díaz, Duran, and Espinosa, involving a new sample of 26 children who attended bilingual preschool for one year and 20 control children who remained at home. Study 2 represents a 1-year, longitudinal follow-up of Rodríguez et al.'s, sample of children during and after the children spent another year at home or in the preschool. In both investigations, standardized, objective measures of three components of children's language proficiency (productive language, receptive language, and language complexity) in English and Spanish were obtained at the beginning and end of the academic year. Contrary to fears that have been expressed by some that early exposure to English would lead to children's native language loss, the results of both studies offered no evidence of Spanish proficiency loss for children attending bilingual preschool. Children who attended bilingual preschool, compared to those who remained at home, showed significant and parallel gains in Spanish language development as well as significant and greater increases in English language proficiency over time. Results are discussed in terms of the need for more systematic research to be conducted in this area to inform policy and practice in the early education and development of language-minority children.

Socio-emotional skills, behavior problems, and Spanish competence predict the acquisition of English among English language learners in poverty.

“…Such an idea is consistent with recent perspectives on best practices for the education of ELLs, which involve inclusion of, and emphasis on, L1, as well as L1 maintenance in early childhood bilingual education programs, rather than English-only immersion (Howes, Downer, & Pianta, 2011;Lindholm-Leary, 2001). Furthermore, ELLs who attend bilingual programs learn English faster while maintaining their L1 than do those who attend English-only (or no) programs (Espinosa, 2007;Winsler, Diaz, Espinosa, & Rodriguez, 1999). Early cognitive skills were also hypothesized to be related prospectively to English language acquisition.…”

Débuts de la littératie, langue et culture : perspective socioculturelle

“…Toutefois, pour les enfants d'âge préscolaire, l'avantage ne se fait sentir que si les enfants préservent leur langue maternelle (L 1 ) tout en apprenant la langue seconde (L 2 ). Les programmes d'éducation bilingue, s'ils sont de qualité, peuvent offrir des possibilités de vivre des expériences dans les langues maternelles en même temps qu'ils permettent l'apprentissage de la langue seconde (Winsler, Diaz, Espinosa et Rodriguez, 1999;Yaden, Tam, Madrigal, Brassell, Massa, Altamiro et Armendariz, 2000). Pour préserver la langue maternelle, il faut que les enfants d'âge préscolaire aient la possibilité de vivre suffisamment d'expériences, et des expé-riences suffisamment riches et stimulantes, dans leur langue maternelle (Pearson, 2002;Pearson et Fernández, 1994;Pearson, Fernández, Lewedeg et Oller, 1997).…”

The Motivational Factors of Heritage Language Learning in Immigrant Bilingualism

“…Some other parents send their children to bilingual schools to make them learn English gradually, and not forget their heritage language [7]- [35]. "The no-cost study on families" study of [36] shows that 74.6 % of children who have taken preschool education in their heritage languages can maintain their heritage language even after schooling in English-only mainstream classes. On the other hand, whereas 30.6 % of the children who had preschool education in English only or bilingual schools preferred to use only English in their daily communication, 46.…”