Teaching Dual Language Learners

Study Notes

It is essential to create a welcoming and supportive environment that values students' first language while helping them become proficient in English.
Teaching methods should be sensitive to different cultures and languages.

Dual language learners go through several distinct stages:
Stage 1: Use of first language, where the child communicates using only their native language.
Stage 2: Non-verbal stage, where the child might not speak much but actively listens and observes.
Stage 3: Telegraphic speech, where the child uses single words or two-word phrases to convey essential meanings.
Stage 4: Productive speech, where the child's vocabulary expands, and they begin to use more complete phrases in short sentences.

Developing proficiency in the first language helps children learn English more effectively.
Encouraging families to continue speaking their first language at home is crucial.
English language learners typically go through four stages as they acquire English.
Teachers should:
- Provide routines that children can connect to.
- Pair children with a supportive peer.
- Use parallel talk and self-talk strategies.
- Create a warm and caring environment.

English language learners learn through:
- Hands-on experiences.
- Gestures.
- Visual cues.
- Pictures.
- Big books.
- Repeated phrases.
Incorporating a child's first language into activities, such as story time, can benefit all learners in the classroom.
Code switching, which involves switching between languages, can be a powerful tool for learning vocabulary.

Building a relationship with English language learners is crucial, even if you don't speak the same language.
Techniques to help children understand include:
- Using visuals and picture cues.
- Gestures.
- A slower rate of speech.
- Being playful and using games.
- Providing support in their native language if needed.