May 5, 2021
As part of its DLL Pilot Study, First 5 California has released Approaches to Supporting Dual Language Learners in California’s Early Learning and Care Programs, a new brief by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) that shares findings from a survey of administrators from a state-representative sample of Early Learning and Care programs who reported on their programmatic efforts to support DLLs. The brief describes the high level of linguistic diversity of children and staff in Early Learning programs in the state of California; the various beliefs, policies, and priorities that guide their program approaches for DLLs; and, the different instructional practices and supports that are implemented for DLLs at the site. The brief concludes with a set of key policy considerations, situated in the context of California’s new Master Plan for Early Learning and Care.