Photo: Kate Samp for Strategies for Children

Massachusetts’ draft policies and guidelines for children who speak languages other than English at home start from a simple premise. This is an asset, not a problem.  “These policies,“ the draft from the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) states, “reflect an asset-based model in which all parents and children are regarded as valuable resources and their personal, cultural, language, academic, and world experiences are infused in early care and education programming.”

EEC is currently analyzing the roughly 400 comments it received on the “Draft Massachusetts Early Education and Care Policies and Guidelines for Children Whose Home Languages are Other than or in Addition to English.” The department will then work with the board to develop a final set of guidelines and policies.

Some 10% of children, age 3-5, in Massachusetts are dual language learners, with the majority speaking Spanish and smaller numbers speaking Portuguese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Haitian Creole and dozens of other languages. Children in public and public charter schools in the commonwealth speak more than 115 different languages; an EEC survey of providers found more than 61 languages.  “According to the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs,” the EEC draft guidelines notes, “the importance of supporting language development in the primary language of children in addition to English is critical.”

At the same time, the draft continues, “most educators of infants, toddlers, preschool and out-of-school-time and school-aged children, regardless of educational background, are not sure how to address the English learning needs of children or how to adapt curriculum for them.”

The draft policies and guidelines emphasize professional development, providers who are bilingual and bicultural, proper identification of dual language learners (DLLs), and family engagement. They focus on eight core competencies, including:

• Understanding of the growth and development of young children. “Of particular importance is an acknowledgment of the ‘silent period’ in which many bilingual children may appear to be delayed in language development when this is not a delay but is a reflection of typical second language acquisition.”
  • Nurturing language development. “It is through interactions and conversations that DLLs develop early literacy and language skills. There should be educators who can communicate in the child’s home language, are able to provide enriched early literacy and language environments and have strong literacy skills.”
  • Learning environment and curriculum. “Learning environments and written comprehensive curriculum must reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of the children…. Learning environments must also have respect for language variation whereby each child’s home language is regarded as a rich and important asset that helps language develop…. Educators can play a key role in helping parents understand the many positive impacts of using the home language.”
  • Screening. “Children are to be screened within 45 days of enrollment using a valid, reliable, and language-neutral tool designed for that purpose and observed on a daily basis to monitor progress and individualize teaching strategies.”