Deck 8: Language Diversity in the Classroom: Working With Young Dual Language Learners

Question 1

A child who is learning English while learning his or her heritage language is identified as a _______________.

Answer 1

dual language learner

Question 2

Seeing his/her language and culture represented in the ___________ influences the child positively.

Answer 2

classroom

Question 3

National educational statistics on dual language learners show that

A)young children are language learners.
B)schools teach many languages.
C)there are many languages spoken in the United States.
D)they are children learning English.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Second language acquisition is easier for the child when it is supported by _____________, ____________, and ______________.

Question 5

The term dual language learner (DLL)defines students who are learning English

A)in local multicultural schools.
B)at local early childhood centers.
C)in addition to their home language.
D)after learning their home language.

Question 6

Appropriate assessment of DLL children is best when _______________ sources of information are used.

Question 7

Assessment in the dual language learner (DLL)classroom should be

A)carefully selected and planned by teachers.
B)based on multiple sources of information.
C)decided by early childhood teachers.
D)designated by the school district.

Question 8

In terms of language acquisition, all children are born with

A)the ability to understand their home language.
B)the auditory skills for learning languages.
C)the capacity to learn multiple languages.
D)the cognitive abilities to support learning.

Question 9

Supporting the needs of young dual language learners (DLLs)requires knowledge about

A)school policies and regulations from the district.
B)appropriate second language teaching strategies.
C)good materials and resources.
D)the children's heritage languages.

Question 10

Census data show that language diversity in the United States is __________.

Question 11

A welcoming environment for dual language learners (DLLs)contains

A)good literacy materials that reflect their languages.
B)an abundance of multimedia and interactive technology.
C)a large welcome sign for everyone to see.
D)several learning centers for children.

Question 12

Collaboration with families of DLL children is important because it

A)helps to find volunteers for the classroom.
B)is an expectation of all early childhood teachers.
C)is a valuable experience for teachers.
D)contributes to learning about the child's culture.

Question 13

A child's competency in the home language is largely determined by

A)development of cognitive skills.
B)exposure and frequency of use with family.
C)ethnic and cultural characteristics.
D)linguistic difficulty of the heritage language.

Question 14

Second language learning

A)defines the nature of the child.
B)takes place in the child's community.
C)happens mainly in the classroom.
D)occurs in stages over time.

Question 15

According to the U.S. Census,

A)society has become 15% more ethnically diverse during  the past ten years.
B)speakers of languages other than English are common.
C)almost 20 percent of children age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home.
D)people speak other languages within their own ethnic communities.

Question 16

Language is an element of culture because it

A)helps people to communicate.
B)serves to transmit ideas and traditions.
C)is learned throughout life.
D)is necessary for mutual understanding.

Question 17

Sequential language acquisition is a process of

A)understanding another language.
B)learning a language after having a first one.
C)learning two languages.
D)acquiring several languages.

Question 18

Language learning is a

A)very detailed process happening in the classroom.
B)developmental process that begins in the early years.
C)process supported with appropriate materials.
D)lengthy and complex series of lessons.

Question 19

The home language survey is used to

A)identify the language used by children at home.
B)plan experiences based on the languages spoken at home.
C)identify speakers of languages other than English.
D)learn about the variety of languages in the local community.

Question 20

Good curricular experiences for dual language learners (DLLs)are designed by the teacher and

A)incorporate recent research strategies.
B)include a variety of materials from the local school district.
C)use appropriate and available multimedia.
D)address the children's language needs and cultural characteristics.

Question 21

Imagine that you have been invited to a panel to discuss the need for language preservation. Provide the arguments that you would present as a panel member.

Question 22

Critical Reflection Questions
Why are children from the main culture in the United States not required to learn other languages, as children in many other countries do?

Question 23

Critical Reflection Questions
Why do Americans say that learning other languages is very difficult for them?

Question 24

Discuss the pros and cons of authentic assessment with DLL children. Cite examples in the answer.

Question 25

Critical Reflection Questions
What resources would you use to enhance your own knowledge about diverse language in your classroom or facility?

Question 26

Critical Reflection Questions
Should there be other designated official languages in the United States?

Question 27

Discuss the implications of linguistic diversity and ethnic demographics in the United States for early childhood education.

Question 28

Discuss the developmental benefits of second language learning from the perspective of the young child. Use current research to support your points.

Question 29

Explain the major elements of a welcoming classroom environment for DLL children.