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Chapter 4:Paths to Bilingualism

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Key Points

There are three alternative paths to achieving childhood bilingualism.

There are three developmental phases through which children pass as they acquire two languages simultaneously: early, middle, and late.

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Key Points (continued)

Continued use of the home language, while acquiring a second language, is important to a child’s cognitive development.

There is an important relationship between language, culture, and learning.

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Connections to “Principles and Practices”

Principle 4: Language development and learning are promoted when preschool teachers and children creatively and interactively use language.

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Connections to “Principles and Practices”

Principle 5: Experimenting with the use, form, purpose, and intent of both the first and second language leads to growth in the acquisition of the second language.

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Connections to “Principles and Practices”

Principle 6: Continued use and development of the child’s home language will benefit the child as he or she acquires English.

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Theoretical Basis for Second Language Acquisition

Key Terms and Concepts

Cross-Language Transfer

Interdependence Hypothesis

Threshold Hypothesis

Matching Key Terms and Definitions Activity

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Cross Language Transfer

The skills, background knowledge, and cognitive strategies that children transfer between their first and second language.

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Interdependence Hypothesis

In developing proficiency in one language, children develop underlying cognitive skills which facilitates learning and developing proficiency in the second language.

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Threshold Hypothesis

This hypothesis explains that English learners must achieve minimum thresholds (levels) of proficiency in both their home language and in English before the benefits of bilingualism can be achieved.

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Matching Activity

Match each key concept with its corresponding definition using the scrambled cards at your table.

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Research Highlight

Turn to page 35 of the Resource Guide to read the “Research Highlight” and reflect on the advantages of knowing more than one language.

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Paths to Bilingualism

Simultaneous Successive Receptive

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Lens on Video Viewing

Reflect: On the key concepts of theory Refer: To Handout 4B: Three Alternative

Paths to Bilingualism. Respond: In writing on Handout 4B. Underline: Key terms on pages 34-43 in the

Resource Guide.

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Simultaneous Bilingualism

Process of learning two (or more) languages within the same span of time, starting before age 3.

Children develop equally, or nearly equally, in both languages through exposure and opportunities to use both languages.

Equally balanced knowledge of both languages is rare. Life experiences in both languages are rarely the same.

Also known as simultaneous language acquisition.

Simultaneous Bilingualism Video

Please choose your computer type for the proper video format.

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Successive Bilingualism

Process of learning a second language after having reached at least basic mastery in the first language.

By age 3, most children have acquired most aspects of oral language.

Also known as sequential bilingualism or successive second language acquisition.

Explained in greater detail in Chapter 5.

Successive Bilingualism Video

Please choose your computer type for the proper video format.

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Receptive Bilingualism

Process of learning a second language with few opportunities to speak it.

Children understand a great deal more than they are able to express in words.

Learning a second language through exposure, not active use.

Fairly common experience for many English learners prior to entering school.

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Connections to “Principles and Practices”

Volunteers read aloud the following Principles from the Resource Guide:– Principle 4, page 40

– Principle 5, page 41

– Principle 6, page 43 At your table, share one practice from your

selected principle to apply with the preschoolers you teach.

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Reflection

Turn to page 44 in the Resource Guide and take the time to answer Question 1 on your Reflection handout:

–How do I communicate to the children and their families the importance and benefits of learning more than one language?