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Essay on Second language learners in preschool settings
This study was conducted in a mixed-age (3-5 yr.) preschool classroom. Although the site is a University Demonstration School, its students were selected by lottery from the urban public school population with stratification for representation of the major linguistic groups of the city. The resulting student body consisted of 50% English-speaking, 25% Spanish-speaking, and 25% Khmer speaking (Cambodian) children. About half of the children in the school qualified for free or reduced federal meal programs. For this study, five English-speaking target children (TC) were selected from each of the three, four, and five year old age groups. The children were Robbie (3.5 in September), Arthur (4.2), Janine (4.8), Walter (4.9), and Tiffany (5.1).
Implications for the Multicultural Classroom
1. Native speakers should be trained to interact with second language learners.
This approach to conducting a classroom in which many languages are spoken views the inter-actional setting from a new perspective. Rather than concentrating on nonnative speakers' lack of social skills, it capitalizes on the native speakers as a primary language resource for second language learners. These native speakers have varying skills in engaging second language learners in interactions and should be trained in strategies that have specific benefits for second language acquisition. These strategies include repetition, restatement, and request for clarification.
We know that children have the ability to adjust their language to meet the needs of conversational partners with less linguistic proficiency, so we should expect that native speakers can be trained to be more optimal language partners for their peers who are learning English as a second language. (Fathman,1976)
2. Language interaction should be a goal of the class as a group.
It is important that native speakers assume their share of the responsibility for assisting in the development of nascent language and social skills of second language learners.............
