Multilingualism in the Early Years is a highly accessible text that examines the political, theoretical, ideological and practical issues involved in the education of children speaking two or more languages. Drawing on current research and thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of being multilingual, Smidt uses powerful case studies to reveal how language or languages are acquired. She explores language in terms of who shares it, its relationship to class, culture, power, identity and thinking, and its fascinating role as it moves from the personal to the public and political. More specifically the book studies:

• what it means to be bilingual through an analysis of the language histories submitted by a range of people;
• how language/s define people;
• a brief history of minority education in the UK;
• how practitioners and teachers can best support all young children as learners whilst they continue to use their first languages and remain part of and partners in their communities and cultures;
• being bilingual: an advantage or a disadvantage?
• the impact of multilingualism on children's educational and life chances.

Multilingualism in the Early Years is a really useful text for practitioners working with multilingual children, as well as any student undertaking courses in early childhood education.

About the Author

Sandra Smidt

is a writer and consultant in early years education.

Reviews

[Has] an engaging tone and the reassuring sense that the author is a trustworthy authority on her subject. It ranges over a wide range of well-selected theoretical literature to introduce concepts related to language and language learning and is successful in mediating complex ideas for an audience which does not have the specialist knowledge to access the primary sources.

Jean Conteh, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, University of Leeds

Written in a manner that makes it easy to read and is a good place to start for students or novice practitioners who are headed into the field of language teaching, specifically teaching English as another language to primary school students.

It has a great focus on younger children and a positive self-identity, how various cultural and linguistic backgrounds can be supported pedagogically keeping in mind the social and emotional development of young children, and also a focus on the Reggio approach with practical examples that connect theory to practice

Martha Bigelow, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota

Book Information
ISBN 9781138942455
Author Sandra Smidt
Format Paperback
Page Count 162
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 308g