Rethinking Learning Opportunities for Young Bilingual Children From Low-Income Immigrant Families after COVID-19

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Rethinking Innovative Pedagogies for Mulilingual Learners (Table 28)

Abstract

During the COVID-19 lockdown, many changes occurred in bilingual children’s language proficiency and home literacy environment. This mixed methods paper examines these changes and explores preschool teachers' pedagogical approaches. A total of 132 immigrant families and three bilingual teachers participated. Parents completed questionnaires about home literacy practices and children completed language assessments in English and the heritage language (HL) from 2018-2021. The teachers were interviewed in 2021. Results revealed that, although children were more exposed to English and used their HL less during the pandemic, their oral language skills in both languages increased. Teachers addressed language use and social interaction changes, pedagogical adjustments, and concerns about children’s development. Implications for the teaching and learning experiences of bilingual children are discussed.

Authors

• Maria Belen Buttiler, University of California - Davis

• Emily Mak, Texas A&M University

• Qing Zhou, University of California - Berkeley

• Yuuko Uchikoshi, University of California - Davis