Dual Language Education: a Pathway to Learning in Two Languages

Current educational policies set up expectations that students who enter school speaking another language other than English, must perform at the same level as their English monolingual peers. Examining reading development in an environment that supports primary language development while learning a second language is an important con­sideration and is often ignored when addressing how English learners learn to read in a second language. It is important to understand how pre-reading development occurs among these students, particularly in a dual language education context. This book provides information about basic pre-reading development in two languages such that teachers are better able to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Additionally, findings from the study may have the utility to be used across different program models (i.e., English only, transitional and dual language education) in terms of instruction. More importantly, it is crucial for scholars, policymakers, and teachers to understand the pre-reading trajectories of diverse students to better understand how they learn to read in their primary language as well as acquire a second language.