Dual Language Development Among Spanish-speaking Children Learning English

描述(申请人提供)：尽管有大量儿童的母语不是英语，但对他们的英语学习过程的系统研究有限。贫困只会增加这一日益增长的美国儿童群体中双语发展的挑战。缺乏有关双语学习的标准课程的信息，给早期评估和干预带来了挑战，并对这些儿童的健康和福祉产生了重要影响。鉴于拉美裔儿童是美国最大的英语语言学习者(ELL)群体，在教育程度上落后于非裔美国人和白人，了解他们在学龄前阶段学习英语和西班牙语对公共卫生具有重要影响。这项拟议的研究评估了来自以西班牙语为主的家庭的低收入墨西哥裔儿童的双语发展。我们的目标是绘制来自西班牙语家庭的低收入儿童在学龄前课堂上接触英语时西班牙语和英语的发展轨迹，并了解影响这种学习的课堂变量(例如，课堂语言支持和语言接触，以及教师的信念)。共有45名3岁儿童、他们的家人和他们的老师将被招募并观察一年。他们的语言将被记录4次，大约相隔3至4个月。我们将观察每个孩子的学龄前课堂，以评估教师的谈话、语言和识字支持，并就教师的语言技能和对语言发展的信念采访教师。我们的发现将有助于更好地理解双语的发展过程以及影响双语发展的因素。它们将导致对英语学习者的言语和其他学习延迟进行更好的筛查和识别，从而增强这些高危儿童的健康。研究结果还将帮助我们理解为什么一些孩子在将英语作为第二语言学习方面更成功，并将用于教师培训、家长教育和课程开发。这项研究还将提供第一语言和第二语言相互影响的证据，并解决将英语作为第二语言的学习者对母语丧失的担忧。最后，这项研究将促进招募和培训少数族裔学生从事研究工作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite the large numbers of young children whose home language is not English, there is limited systematic research on the course of their English language learning. Poverty only increases the challenges of dual language development in this growing segment of the U.S child population. Lack of information about the normative course of dual language learning raises challenges for early assessment and intervention and has important implications for the health and well-being of these children. Given that Latino children make-up the largest group of English language learners (ELL) in the United States and lag behind both African- Americans and Whites in their educational attainment, understanding their learning of English and Spanish during the preschool period has important public health consequences. The proposed study assesses dual language development in low-income Mexican-origin children who come from predominantly Spanish speaking households. Our objectives are to chart the trajectory of Spanish and English among young low-income children from Spanish-speaking homes when they are exposed to English in the pre-school classroom and to understand classroom variables (e.g., classroom language support and language exposure, and teachers' beliefs) that influence such learning. A total of 45 3-year-old children, their families, and their teachers will be recruited and observed for a year. Their language will be recorded 4 times approximately 3 to 4-months apart. We will observe each child's pre-school classroom to assess teacher talk, language, and literacy support and interview the teacher regarding his/her language skills and beliefs about language development. Our findings will lead to a better understanding of the course of dual language development and the factors that influence it. They will lead to better screening and identification of speech and other learning delays among English language learners, thereby enhancing the health of these at-risk children. The results will also help us understand why some children are more successful in learning English as a second language and will be used for teacher training, parent education, and curriculum development. The study will also provide evidence for the influence of the first and second language on each other and address concerns about the loss of the home language among learners of English as a second language. Finally the study will promote the recruitment and training of minority students for research careers.