Friday Feature: Differentiating Language Difference versus Language Impairment in Young Dual Language Learners

Photo credits: Division for Early Childhood, 2015

Ever have questions about whether a child in your care has a true language impairment or a language difference as a dual language learner (DLL)?

In this week’s Friday Feature, we would like to highlight an article from the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series No. 14: Differentiating Language Difference versus Language Impairment in Young Dual Language Learners by Peña, Bedore, & Sheng (2012).

The article covers the following topics:

• Cultural Context: Home and School Difference
• Culturally Based Differences in Communication
• Second Language Acquisition in Early Childhood
• Language Impairment and Bilingualism
• How Do Professionals Differentiate Language Differences from Language Disorders?
• Supporting First and Second Language Learning for Young Children with Language Impairment

Specific strategies to support young children include:

• providing opportunities for children to hear models
• opportunities for children to talk with peers
• support of language development in both languages
• providing suggestions to parents that are consistent with their beliefs about language development and children’s roles

(p. 26-27)

An important statement: “There is no reason that children with language impairment cannot be bilingual. Stated another way, bilingualism does not cause language delays or impairment” (p. 27)

Download the article and supplemental resource for free here: http://www.dec-sped.org/sub-yec-mono-14

Call to action:
Once you've read the article, please share 1-2 of your main "take-aways" in the comments section below.

For more on the YEC Monograph Series, go to: http://www.dec-sped.org/dec-bookstore-products