Preschool teachers and supervisors across California are getting training this year on how to support children whose families speak a language other than English at home. The California Department of Education awarded $5 million through the Dual Language Learners Professional Development Grant to six organizations to train preschool teachers who work with dual-language learners. Most training for teaching bilingual children in the past has been focused on elementary, middle and high school teachers.
For children who speak a language other than English at home, research shows that early development of both their home language and English can help them succeed later in life. According to the report, State Policies to Advance English Learners’ Experiences and Outcomes in California’s Schools, one of 36 reports in Getting Down to Facts II, a comprehensive analysis of California’s education system released last September, early childhood programs for young dual language learners should focus on early reading skills, maintaining a child’s home language and developing English-language skills.