Many Languages, One Classroom: Teaching Dual and English Language Learners

by Karen Nemeth

Overview

In classrooms across the country, teachers are encountering more children who are learning English, come from diverse backgrounds, and who speak a variety of languages. As challenging as this may be, a preschool teacher’s goal remains the same: to welcome all children and give them the best possible start in education and in life.

Even the most experienced teacher can feel a bit unsure about meeting the unique needs of children from different language backgrounds. Many Languages, One Classroom applies the latest information about best practices to all aspects of a preschool program. From using lists of key words and visual aids to using body language and gestures, the strategies you will find in this book are adaptable and easy to put into practice. Designed to fit any preschool curriculum, Many Languages, One Classroom addresses state standards and benchmarks of standard quality programming.

Organized by interest areas and times of the day, you’ll find everything you need to help English language learners during dramatic play, outdoor play, reading, science, blocks, and circle time. Each chapter has the following key components:

• The Environment
• Activities
• Links to Standards
• Family Connections
• Technology Tips
• Reflections

Many Languages, One Classroom is filled with ideas you can implement in your classroom to open the doors of literacy and learning for young English language learners.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780876590874
Publisher:	Gryphon House Inc.
Publication date:	09/01/2009
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	8.56(w) x 10.96(h) x 0.24(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Karen Nemeth has been a teacher and a teacher educator for more than twenty-five years. She is on the executive board of the New Jersey Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages / New Jersey Bilingual Educators and is co-coordinator of the Early Childhood Special Interest Group. Currently she is an education specialist with the New Jersey Department of Education Office of Preschool Education.

Interviews

Teachers and caregivers of children ages 3-6

Editorial Reviews

There is hardly a classroom or school in this country, no matter how remote, that has not had some experience with children whose primary language is one other than English. This excellent guide to adapting a preschool program to meet the needs of dual or English language learners has valuable information for teachers who are often unprepared for the situation. The foreword and introduction prepares readers by explaining the trends, professionally, in the approaches to teaching second language learners, the most important being the value to English speakers of being exposed to bilingualism. The importance of getting all parents, not just those with second language learners, involved is stressed. Organized into nine main interest areas or centers, each chapter of the book lists materials and supplies needed, activity enhancements for different group sizes, sample activities, links to preschool education standards, parents and family connections, technology tips, and topics for reflection. Professionally, it is what preschool teachers do daily but with a focus on a classroom of multiple languages. There are plenty of suggestions that even elementary teachers would find helpful in raising their awareness and skills to increase learning for all. Online resources and an index are included. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger, Ph.D.

Children's Literature - Meredith Kiger