Making It Work is a resource that can help American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) early education staff meet school readiness goals. Learn how to use it while teaching traditional cultural skills, values, beliefs, and lifeways.
School readiness and school success for children who are dual language learners are tied directly to mastery of their home language. This series of handouts is designed to provide staff and families with basic information on topics related to children learning two or more languages. They emphasize the benefits of being bilingual, the importance of maintaining home language, and the value of becoming fully bilingual. These easy-to-read resources highlight important information that every adult living or working with young dual language learners should know.
Explore these resources about indigenous immigrant families and their culture.
Children who are new English learners may need some additional support with classroom transitions, since they may not yet be able to understand enough English to follow your directions. The strategies below will allow you to provide dual language learners (DLLs) with ways of understanding and participating in classroom transitions that are not dependent on understanding and speaking English.
In order for children to close any achievement gap they may have experienced when they entered Head Start or Early Head Start, programs must have clear systems in place that support high-quality instruction. These resources are designed specifically for program leaders.
The PLA is a comprehensive, research-based way for early education programs to ensure optimal language and literacy services for children who speak English and for those who are dual language learners..
Learn about the key components of a Planned Language Approach (PLA). Find out why it's important, who can use it and where, and how a PLA can support systems and practices.
One-third of the children in Head Start programs are dual language learners (DLLs) who are learning English while also learning their home language. Virtually all of these children will code switch. In other words, they mix two or more languages in the same sentence while speaking. It is important that teachers, home visitors, and other staff understand what code switching is, the role it plays in language development, and how to respond to it.
This Office of Head Start reports information on efforts to revitalize tribal languages. The report affirms the value of maintaining tribes' cultural and linguistic heritage.
Research has found that certain skills and circumstances predict children’s success in learning to read and doing well in school. It has identified language and literacy practices that work best when teaching culturally and linguistically different children. This includes children who speak two or more languages, or dual language learners (DLLs). This body of research supports the Planned Language Approach (PLA).