Component 5: Literacy Development for Dual Language Learners
Learning Goal 5.a: Children become increasingly engaged in literacy experiences in English.
In early-stage English language development, children:
- Attend to an adult reading a short storybook written in the home language or to a storybook written in English if the English story has been read in the home language first and especially if the book contains cues (pictures)
- “Read” familiar books (written in the home language or in English) when encouraged by others and use the home language to talk about the books
- Begin to identify and relate to a story from their own life experiences in their home language
- Retell a story in their home language when read or told a story in the home language
In mid-stage English language development, children:
- Participate in reading activities, using books written in English when the language is predictable
- Choose to read familiar books written in the home language or in English with increasing independence and to talk about the books in either their home language or English
- Describe their own experiences related to the topic of a story, sometimes using telegraphic and/or formulaic speech in English
- Begin to narrate using English that reflects an increasingly larger vocabulary and more complex grammar
- Retell a story using the home language and some English when read or told the story in English
In late-stage English language development, children:
- Participate in reading activities, using a variety of genres that are written in English
- Choose to read familiar books written in English with increasing independence and to talk about the books in English
- Engage in extended conversations in English about stories
- Retell in English the majority of a story read or told in English
Note: Unlike most of the other developmental progressions in this document, the indicators for English language development (or for development in any other language) do not follow specific age thresholds. Children who become dual language learners are exposed to their second language for the first time at different ages. As a result, one child may start the process of developing English language skills at birth and another child may start at age four, making the age thresholds inappropriate. So instead of using age, The Standards use research-based stages to outline a child’s progress in English language development. It is important to note that there is no set time for how long it will take a given child to progress through these stages. Progress depends upon the unique characteristics of the child, his or her exposure to English in the home and other environments, the child’s motivation to learn English, and other factors.