ABSTRACT

Research Findings: The study examined the relationship between Spanish-speaking DLL children’s engagement within the preschool classroom with teachers, peers, and tasks and their school readiness skills compared to monolingual English-speaking peers. Results suggested that DLL children had lower language skills and phonological awareness by the end of the preschool year. However, children’s positive engagement with teachers mediated the relationship between DLL status and children’s language skills. Finally, the relationship between children’s engagement and school readiness outcomes differed by whether children are DLL or monolingual; for DLL children, positively engaging with teachers, peers, and tasks were positively associated with their receptive and expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and print knowledge skills. Practice or Policy: The findings highlight how children’s classroom engagement, particularly DLLs, is associated with their school readiness outcomes. That is, DLL and monolingual children are experiencing different levels of engagement expose potential inequities in the levels of quality experienced within classrooms. Classrooms must maximize the opportunities for DLLs to practice their language skills with peers, in particular, across languages as a way of supporting their development.

摘要

研究成果：该研究调查了与只说英语的同龄人相比，讲西班牙语的 DLL 儿童在学前班课堂上与老师、同龄人和任务的参与度与他们的入学准备技能之间的关系。结果表明，到学龄前年底，DLL 儿童的语言技能和语音意识较低。然而，儿童与教师的积极接触在 DLL 状态与儿童语言技能之间的关系中起中介作用。最后，儿童参与度和入学准备结果之间的关系因儿童是 DLL 还是单语而不同；对于 DLL 儿童，与老师、同龄人和任务的积极互动与他们的接受和表达词汇、语音意识和印刷知识技能正相关。实践或政策：研究结果强调了儿童的课堂参与，尤其是 DLL，与他们的入学准备结果有何关联。也就是说，DLL 和单语儿童正在经历不同程度的参与，暴露出课堂质量水平的潜在不平等。课堂必须最大限度地为 DLL 提供与同龄人一起练习语言技能的机会，特别是跨语言练习，以此作为支持他们发展的一种方式。