5 research outputs found
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Portrait of early science education in majority dual language learner classrooms: Where do we start?
Despite the growing interest in early science education, there is much left to be explored, particularly in majority Dual Language Learning (DLL) classrooms. The current study examined 1) early science opportunities across classroom contexts in majority Spanish-English DLL Head Start classrooms, 2) the languages (i.e., English and Spanish) that teachers used to engage DLL children in science, 3) and how teachers’ discussion of scientific and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas related to children’s academic outcomes. In a sample of 411 children (ages 3-5) from 34 Head Start classrooms, the current study found that teachers discussed and encouraged more practices during science lessons than circle time, dramatic play, and story time. There were no differences in teachers’ discussion of core ideas across contexts. Teachers used the same amount of English and Spanish to discuss practices and core ideas. Teaching physical science was associated with children’s science outcomes. Making observations and discussing life science were associated with children’s math outcomes. Teaching math, making observations, and developing and using models were related to children’s executive functioning. Findings from this study demonstrate that science opportunities occur across preschool classroom settings. Additionally, it provides evidence that teachers may be supporting DLL children’s home language while discussing science. Finally, results indicate that teaching science supports children’s academic performance in several outcomes. These findings have implications for DLL education policy as science may be a domain where teachers can support children’s home language and their learning across multiple domains
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“Estamos buscando acorns!”: Examining Dual Language Learning Head Start Children’s Conceptual Science Knowledge Across Languages
Children from low-income homes are at risk for an academic achievement gap that spans the domains of language, math, and science. Latino Dual Language Learning (DLL) children are disproportionately more likely to come from low-income homes than their peers, making them more likely to face additional risks to their academic achievement. Science has recently been recognized on a national level as an area of importance for early childhood education. Science is a key content area for DLL children because it provides opportunities to learn vocabulary through hands-on activities, develop social-emotional skills, engage in critical-thinking, and problem-solving. High quality early science education may ameliorate the effects of the achievement gap. Despite the potential benefits that science education provides for young children, to date, no studies have compared DLL children’s science scores in both English and Spanish. The purpose for examining their science scores in both languages is twofold: to understand how to best assess Head Start DLL children in the domain of science and to understand potential impacts on their science scores. Using equated English and Spanish science assessments, the present study examined: 1) differences in Spanish/English DLL children’s science scores in English and Spanish 2) the association between children’s dominant language and their science scores in English and Spanish 3) associations between the percent of English and Spanish teachers used and children’s science outcomes and the relation between teachers’ academic science language and DLL children’s science scores. DLL children in the sample did not perform differently on their English and Spanish science assessments. Dominant language predicted children’s performance on English, but not Spanish science assessments. Teacher English and Spanish and teacher academic science language did not impact children’s performance on science assessments. Implications for these findings both in terms of research and practice are discussed.</p
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Spanish-English dual language learners' bilingual profiles: Executive function and developmental outcomes
The current study took a strengths-based person-centered approach in examining academic and social-emotional outcomes of Spanish-English Dual Language Learning (DLL) children enrolled in Head Start. The study sample includes a total of 392 Hispanic Spanish-English DLLs (49% girls) between the ages of three and five. Latent profile analyses revealed that four groups of differing levels of bilingual proficiency existed (i.e., Emergent Bilingual, English Dominant, Spanish Dominant, and Proficient Bilingual). Overall, groups with higher language proficiency scored higher on executive functioning (EF), academic, and social-emotional outcomes. There were no differences between English and Spanish Dominant children's performance. Academic and social-emotional scores differed by profile through EF.
Findings demonstrate the importance of supporting both languages as proficiency and EF were related and associated with other outcomes. Finally, given the associations found in the current study, EF appears to be a critical skill for young DLL children's academic and social-emotional development
Impacts on Head Start Dual Language Learning Children’s Early Science Outcomes
The present study examined the roles that language of assessment, language dominance, and teacher language use during instruction play in Dual Language Learner (DLL) science scores. A total of 255 Head Start DLL children were assessed on equated science assessments in English and Spanish. First overall differences between the two languages were examined, then associations between performance on science assessments were compared and related to children’s language dominance, teacher quantity of English and Spanish, and teachers’ academic science language. When examined as a homogeneous group, DLLs did not perform differently on English or Spanish science assessments. However, when examined heterogeneously, Spanish-dominant DLLs performed better on Spanish science assessments. The percentage of English and Spanish used by teachers did not affect children’s science scores. Teachers’ use of Spanish academic science language impacted children’s performance on science assessments, but English did not. The results have implications for the assessment of DLLs and teacher language use during instruction