ABSTRACT
One of the most challenging problems in the field of education is how best to teach young children with language disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Although there is a substantial literature on the effectiveness of bilingual or dual language approaches in general education, most studies are based on learners with typical language development (TLD) and as a result, teachers and clinicians lack a knowledge base that can guide their practice with children diagnosed as having a language disability. Comparisons across programmes for young children in the USA are further complicated by the fact that educational programmes for young dual language learners vary a great deal (Garcia and Jensen 2009). Dual language learners are preschoolers who are in the
process of developing their home language(s) in addition to a second language. Preschool programmes for these students have different philosophies regarding language use for instruction and for other non-instructional activities in the classroom. For example, in some programmes, bilingual teachers use English for instruction and the home language for non-instructional activities. There is great variability in the extend of use of the two languages as well. In some programmes, they may use each language half of the time, whereas in others, they may use the home language in greater proportions initially. These differences are related to the number of children who are dual language learners who attend preschools, the level of professional and bilingual development of their teachers (Garcia 2011), and the fact that many studies emphasise English-only immersion for minority language children (August and Barr 2010).
