Lisa Lopez - Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early Childhood Educators Need to Know

Lisa M. Lpez, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of South Florida, Tampa. Dr. Lpez earned her Ph.D. in applied developmental psychology from the University of Miami and completed a National Science Foundationfunded postdoctoral fellowship in language and literacy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She serves as Chair of the Society for Research in Child Development Latinx Caucus (20192021). Her research agenda involves understanding and improving upon the educational and environmental opportunities of Latino dual language learner (DLL) children in the United States. Her main research objective is to identify the developmental trajectory of school readiness skills for Latino DLL children while applying an ecological perspective to better understand this developmental trajectory. Her research has been funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and published in journals focused on both education and developmental psychology. Dr. Lpez has won numerous awards for her scholarly and community work with the Latino DLL population.

Mariela M. Pez, Ed.D., is Associate Professor at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, Boston College. She has a doctorate in human development and psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her primary research interests include bilingualism, childrens language and early literacy development, and early childhood education. Dr. Pez has conducted several longitudinal studies with young bilingual children with funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Office for Educational Research and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education. Currently, she is conducting a study investigating practices of exemplary teachers for dual language learners across different early childhood programs (i.e., public, private, and Head Start). Dr. Pez is author of numerous articles in top journals and, with Marcelo Surez-Orozco, co-edited Latinos: Remaking America (University of California Press, 2008).

To help teachers implement the strategies discussed in this resource, purchasers of Teaching Dual Language Learners: What Early Childhood Educators Need to Know may photocopy, download, and/or print the forms and appendices featured throughout the chapters. Those forms and appendices include .

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This book is inspired by the work of our mentor, Dr. Patton O. Tabors. It was through her guidance, leadership, and friendship that we grew in our knowledge of the field of dual language development, developed a sustained friendship, and chose to co-author this book. The book is our way of honoring Patton, her work, and her influence on our professional careers and personal lives. Our time at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the relationships we formed there, were catalysts for the scholarly work we have conducted and the ideas discussed in this book.

This book is also inspired by the many colleagues, administrators, and teachers we have spoken with, collaborated with, taught, trained, and observed within early childhood programs and schools throughout the country. In our work, we are embedded in classrooms and programs observing the day-to-day reality of being an early childhood teacher within the context of a growing diverse population. We have seen the need for the information presented in this book firsthand. We have also engaged in meetings at the national level, where we have been invited to share with early childhood leaders, curriculum developers, policy makers, and foundation officers our research and its implications within the field of early childhood education. Throughout the process of writing this book, we thought back to each of these interactions and meetings to fully understand the needs of our audience in order to effectively and pragmatically present the latest research in the field.

We are also grateful to the many families we have worked with over the years who are willing to sacrifice everything, including their language, for the benefit of their children. These families have come to the United States seeking a better life for their children. They are living a constant cultural and linguistic struggle between the life they left behind and the new life they are trying to forge. We have spent many hours with these families in their living rooms discussing education, bilingualism, child rearing, and the hopes and dreams they have for themselves and their children. It is through these experiences that we feel empowered and energized to ensure they are provided with early childhood experiences that will ease their transition while supporting their efforts to raise successful bilingual and bicultural children.

We would also like to thank the entire Brookes Publishing team, including Astrid Pohl Zuckerman, Liz Gildea, and Nicole Schmidl, who understood our goals for this book and helped us accomplish it through the revision and publication process.

Finally, we must acknowledge our own immigrant experiences that help serve as reminders of how the struggles of an immigrant group can lead to future successes.

LISA M. LPEZ

My parents, Gustavo and Rosa, came to the United States from Cuba with nothing and built a life for themselves and their children. They raised two bilingual and bicultural children who have become successful in their own fields. I thank them for being role models that have helped guide my own work. My work is also inspired by my own children, Gabriela and Alejandro, whose four grandparents were each born in a different country. It is my hope that they fully embrace their multiculturalism and one day realize how lucky they are to experience multiple languages, traditions, and cultures within their daily lives. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my husband, Luciano, who has been a strong advocate of my work, as he too is the son of immigrants.

MARIELA M. PEZ

My parents, Ren and Mildred, taught me the value of a good education and always believed in my capabilities and dreams. As an immigrant from Cuba, my father believes that the most important thing we can acquire as individuals is an education because no one can take that away and it is what allowed him to succeed in a new land. This lesson, combined with my mothers advice that family comes first and life is more than work, has been a compass in my life. My work with bilingual children is inspired by my own children, Miguel Juan and Isabella, who are both bilingual and bicultural. I wish all children had the opportunity to develop and learn in more than one language, enhancing their full potential. I hope that Migue and Isabella continue to value the gift of two languages and cultures as they move on with their studies and select future careers. Finally, I would like to thank my beloved husband, Mikey, who makes everything possible. Thank you all for your love and support of my work.

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