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ERIC Number: ED598216
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Sep
Pages: 23
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Children Who Learn in More than One Language: Early Childhood Teachers Afloat in Plurilingual Seas
Podmore, Valerie N.; Hedges, Helen; Keegan, Peter J.; Harvey, Nola
Teaching and Learning Research Initiative
In this report the authors signal the plurilingual nature of children's and teachers' learning and teaching experiences. Plurilingualism introduces a dynamic view of bilingualism in educational settings and refers to an individual's ability to draw upon her/his total language resources for learning and teaching (Cummins & Early, 2011; Garcia & Kleifgen, 2010). Plurilingual activity occurs in any environment that encourages and validates the complex and interrelated linguistic repertoires and practices that each child/adult can use to engage with others in that particular context or community (Garcia & Wei, 2014). A plurilingual environment in an early childhood centre context is generated by teachers, families and whanau (extended family) where children and teachers feel empowered to use their heritage/home languages for learning and teaching. Learners in Aotearoa/New Zealand are increasingly likely to speak more than one language. This nation-wide trend is most evident in the Auckland region (Morton, et al., 2014; Statistics NZ, 2006, 2013). Accordingly, this study collated and reported data that illustrate the diversity of the language experiences of children and their families from four early childhood centres within the Auckland region. The primary focus was on children aged from birth to 5 years who participated in early childhood education (ECE) centres, their teachers, and their families. The three overarching research questions were: (1) What languages do children from participating ECE centres use in their learning in the centre and at home? (2) What experiences and outcomes for children who learn in more than one language in the early years are valued by parents, teachers and children? and (3) How might the opportunities and challenges for children who learn in more than one language be addressed in educational practice? (The report was written in partnership with: Marama Young, Jasmine Castle, Eneleata Tapusoa, May Crichton, Jan Taouma, Carol Hartley, Pat Rogers, Jemma Smith, Daniel Lovatt, Thirumagal Anandh, Auemetua Lotomau, and Fathima Ruwinaaz Subhani.]
Teaching and Learning Research Initiative. Available from: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. P.O. Box 3237, Wellington 6140 New Zealand. Tel: +64-4384-7939; Fax: +64-4384-7933; e-mail: tlri@nzcer.org.nz; Web site: http://www.tlri.org.nz
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (New Zealand)
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A