Learning Resources

Required Resources

• Course Text: The Development of Language
• • Chapter 4, “Semantic Development”
  • • Read “Assessing Vocabulary in Bilingual Children” (pp. 105–106)
    • Read “Word-Meaning Awareness: Humor, Metaphor, and Irony” (pp. 108–109)
  • Chapter 8, “Variation in Language Development: Implications for Research and Theory”
  • • Read “Linguistic Factors” (pp. 253–254)
• Article: Fostering Second Language Development in Young Children (PDF)

• Article: Cultural Diversity and Language Socialization in the Early Years (PDF)

• Article: Understanding the Impact of Language Differences on Classroom Behavior (PDF)

Note: There is no Online Reading this week.

Optional Resources

• Web Article: Brains Show Signs of Two Bilingual Roads
  http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=sci-news/bilingual

• Web Article: How the Brain Learns a Second Language
  http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/second-language

• Web Article: Babies Raised in Bilingual Homes Learn New Words Differently Than Infants Learning One Language
  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070928092050.htm

• Web Article: Raising Bilingual Children
  http://iteslj.org/Articles/Rosenberg-Bilingual.html

• Web Site: Zero to Three FAQ: Dual Language Development: Double the Benefit
  http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_language_dual&AddInterest=1503

• Web Article: Two or More Languages in Early Childhood: Some General Points and Practical Recommendations
  http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/earlychild.html

• Web Article: NAEYC Where We Stand: Many Languages, Many Cultures: Respecting and Responding to Diversity
  http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf

• Web Article: Children in America’s Newcomer Families: Children in Immigrant Families—The U.S. and 50 States: National Origins, Language, and Early Education
  http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2007_04_01_RB_ChildrenImmigrant.pdf

• Web Article: CAL Digest: Raising Bilingual Children: Common Parental Concerns and Current Research
  http://www.cal.org/resources/Digest/RaiseBilingChild.html

• Web Article: CAL Digest: Working with Young English Language Learners: Some Considerations
  http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0301coltrane.html

Challenges for Second Language Learnings in School

During the complex process of acquiring a second language, children sometimes exhibit behaviors that result in their being incorrectly labeled as “challenging” or as having communication disorders. It is important that every adult, including family members, understand the impact that second language acquisition may have on a child’s actions and emotional states.

Review the article “Understanding the Impact of Language Differences on Classroom Behavior.” Then bring to mind children you know—or know about from this week’s readings—for whom English is a second language, and consider the information presented in the reading about behaviors associated with second language learners.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3:

Post:

• A description of some of the behaviors that children acquiring a second language might exhibit
• Advice that you might give and/or insights that you might share with family members or early childhood teachers to better support the overall development of a child who is learning a second language