A More Comprehensive Perspective in Understanding the Development and Learning in Dual Language Learners

Abstract

Millions of children around the globe are acquiring more than one language in their homes and in early care and education (ECE) settings as a consequence of migration and other social/political processes that generate “minority/majority” situations. Growing up within a minority/majority language situation carries a set of particular circumstances that may result in a developmental pathway for these children that differs from that of monolingual children who are part of the majority or dominant language group. A conceptual framework is proposed that provides a more comprehensive understanding of the difficulties that arise from the interaction of presumably universal development and manifestly variable socio-culture experiences of these children and students. The conceptual framework proposed in this chapter reflects a concern about the way in which current research, policy and educational practice addresses the development of dual language learners (DLLs) – young children, birth to age five, who are learning a majority language as their second language, while acquiring a minority language as their first language.