The Essentials: Dual Language Learners in Diverse Environments in Preschool and Kindergarten

This book answers the question what do early childhood educators need to understand to better address the linguistic, cognitive, and socio-emotional needs of all DLLs in their classrooms?

There are over 350 languages spoken within the U.S (U.S. Census, 2015). This means emergent bilingual children come from a variety of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. While teachers cannot be expected to teach in all languages, the basic principles of this book help teachers gain a richer understanding of the interdependent relationship among culture, language, and learning.
With this understanding, teachers can implement intentional practices that nurture children’s bilingual identities and augment their growth in all developmental domains through the concepts and strategies presented in this text.