available as ebook and paperback, English or Spanish on Amazon.com and other sites.
Read MoreDownload the full version of this infographic with answers to frequently asked questions about building relationships with diverse families of young children now. Click here!
Read MoreDownload these helpful infographics with practical and developmentally appropriate strategies to help families balance work at home while meeting the needs of their little ones. Continue the conversation and share your own experiences on Twitter at #TheyreOnlyBabiesOnce Part 1: Click here on the first image to download the infographic with tips for playing and interacting ...
Read MoreI have a LOT of experience presenting webinars and participating in conference calls when there are children around, so I’m sharing my insider secrets for success. We won’t mention the time that the cat brought a live bird in the house and the grandkids were screaming and chasing it around during my conference call …. ...
Read MoreIf you and your grandchildren are stuck at home this week – but not in the SAME home – here are some great ideas to pass the time together across the miles. A perfect opportunity to practice your heritage language or learn a new language together! Low tech ideas: Write letters to each other. Everyone loves ...
Read MorePerhaps the best kind of teacher talk might be less teacher talk! All through college and professional development experiences, teachers learn what to say to children. But, one of the greatest gifts you can give to young learners, especially DLLs, is to step back and let the children do the talking. Research continues to show ...
Read MoreHere are the recommendations and resources I sent for consideration for NAEYC’s Power to the Profession initiative. I believe policy needs to say more about preparing monolingual and multilingual early childhood educators to teach children who are dual language learners. Karen Nemeth Here are a dozen reasons why: Most preschool teachers now (or in the ...
Read MoreR.E.A.D.© Rubric for Evaluating Apps for DLLs© Karen Nemeth, www.languagecastle.com Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education, Fran S. Simon & Karen Nemeth – Gryphon House Using Technology as a Teaching Tool for Dual Language Learners in Preschool through Grade 3, Karen Nemeth & Fran Simon, Young Children March 2013 Karen@languagecastle.com ...
Read MoreBy Karen Nemeth, Ed.M. I think every preschool program should have a diversity team. Bring together staff, parents, and members of your community that speak the languages of the children in your classrooms so they can provide help and support in a variety of ways. Whether you have a very formal role for them ...
Read MoreBy Karen Nemeth Have you read about the “Magic 8”? These are the eight practices that are most likely to build preschool student success, according to research by Dr. Dale Farran and her co-authors1,2,5.. They could provide great advantages for young children who are dual language learners, but how can they be applied in ...
Read MoreConsidering Children who are DLLs in Emergency Planning Events in the news have many schools and programs taking a second look at their emergency plans. Let’s think what an emergency – or even a simple fire drill – must be like for a young child who doesn’t fully understand the language! Establish class buddies – ...
Read MoreI recently received a request for some resources to help families understand the impact of handing over electronic talking toys, phones and tablets to young children. Here are a few links, including the June 2017 article from Psychology Today. Feel free to suggest additional resources in the comments section.
Read MoreTwelve national reports and policy statements have been released over the past two years that provide recommendations for supporting dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood. This crosswalk is designed to show how these recommendations can work together to support effective early childhood care and education. Column headings represent the components recommended by the various ...
Read MoreBy Karen Nemeth May 11, 2017 Infants and toddlers thrive when all of their languages are supported. The diversity of those languages will continue to grow and present challenges to professionals who work with babies and their families. Some states are adopting early language development standards that begin at age 2 ½ years. How can ...
Read MoreHow many languages are spoken in your early childhood program? Most have 3 or more! New U.S. DOE and Head Start policies highlight the importance of supporting home languages and that can leave teachers feeling overwhelmed. How can you support so many different languages? We know you want to do what’s best for each ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth There’s nothing boring about math but some math activities CAN be boring or hard to understand. This is especially true for children who are dual language learners. They really need math activities that are embedded in meaningful contexts that interest them to help them understand. Using empty plastic, paper or worksheet items ...
Read MoreWe want all preschool children to start learning the alphabet. That’s not always easy when they come to preschool with different language backgrounds. It can be confusing for a Spanish speaker to see a picture of “una manzana” (Spanish word for apple) next to the letter A while the other kids are saying “aaah”. This multilingual ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth In a recent blog post from the Brookings Institution, authors Bassok, Magnuson, and Weiland1 review the shortcomings of the current early childhood care and education system and make recommendations for changes in the field… without ever once mentioning the role of growing language diversity. Apparently, that’s my job. So, please get ...
Read MorePreschool and Kindergarten Language Learning: New Trends in TechnologyPresented by Karen Nemeth at ACTFL 2016 Karen@languagecastle.com www. Languagecastle.com Twitter @KarenNemethEdM Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education by Fran S. Simon and Karen N. Nemeth http://amzn.to/2cPiWO3 TED Talk video by Dr. Patricia Kuhl: The Linguistic Genius of Babies https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=TED+linguistic+genius+of+babies&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 Apps that ...
Read MoreEarly childhood educators have the power to start early and start strong by helping all children learn to respect themselves and others. When children and teachers speak different languages, they need special strategies to build that life-changing sense of community. Pronounce each child’s name as closely as possible. Model for your DLLs and for ...
Read More1. Say less!! Reach out to preschool DLLs and their families by paring down to the absolute minimum of messages and words needed to save money and time on translations.
Read MoreNeed help finding books for preschool DLLs to support the home languages and cultures of your children? In this post I give you quick tips and deeper resources to help you keep the learning going!
Read MoreHere’s how Chip Donohue announced his new book. It’s a privilege to include diversity in our chapter among these great experts! “I’m excited to announce the release of my second edited volume, Family Engagement in the Digital Age: Early Childhood Educators as Media Mentors co-published by Routledge and NAEYC The book includes a Foreword by Ellen ...
Read MorePreschools have labels because they value ‘environmental print’. But… if no one reads the labels or talks about them, do they really help teach language and literacy?
Read MoreCultural and linguistic responsiveness is NOT enough to address the early learning needs of young children who are dual language learners. This infographic tells the story about what should be included in plans for preschool DLLs. Feel free to use it as a planning tool or an advocacy tool.
Read MoreI was asked by a district whether it was a good idea to wait for a preschool dual language learner to spend a year in English-only kindergarten before screening or assessing him for possible speech/language services. Here’s my answer along with relevant resources. photo by Bigstock.com 1. Full English immersion is not the best approach ...
Read MoreBy Karen N. Nemeth, Let’s be honest. Worksheets, cookie cutter craft activities, printables, and plastic manipulatives are widely reviled by early childhood education experts, yet they are widely available and often used in preschool and child care programs. At a recent luncheon with early childhood professional development providers and authors, we tried to sort out ...
Read MoreBy Karen N. Nemeth How did you like the new book, The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grownups, by Erika Christakis? It is so appealing that readers might not immediately realize what’s missing: there is no inclusion of diversity. This is not a book about all preschoolers – it is a ...
Read MoreWe all know that the appearance of multiple languages and cultures is growing in early childhood education. In the past, children with different languages might have been the responsibility of a specialist like an ESL teacher or certified bilingual education teacher.
Read MoreWe all know the importance of connecting with young children by understanding who they are and what’s important to them. Real cultural connections for DLLs go way beyond plastic food, flags, or posters about holidays. Here are some ways to make intentional, authentic, personal connections that help dual language learners:
Read MoreScience is a great subject for early learning because it is hands-on and includes language, literacy, math, and other learning domains. But, how can teachers make science learning meaningful for children who don’t speak the same language?
Read MoreWe have received many requests for suggestions about learning materials for dual language learners (DLLs) that we thought we’d try setting up an Amazon A-Store. Click here to find recommended bilingual and multicultural toys, books and learning resources collected for specific kinds of classrooms or programs. We call it Language Castle Learning Store. You’ll find ...
Read Moreby Karen N. Nemeth, Ed.M., Pam Brillante, Ed.D., and Leah J. Mullen, M.A. What do we need to see in early childhood education now and in the future? The days of fragmented programs where children and teachers are divided according to special needs and special skills are over. Silos don’t work. Isolating children and practitioners ...
Read MoreBy Karen N. Nemeth, Ed.M., author and founder of Language Castle and Pamela Brillante, Ed.D., author and assistant professor of special education You know those colorful, plastic “bears”? We’re sure you do because they are in nearly every preschool classroom in the U.S. We think that’s a problem and we are about to tell you ...
Read MoreThe big question about expensive professional development for early childhood educators is: Will it stick? Will the time and expense result in lasting, meaningful change? Five quick questions can make all the difference. Don’t pay anyone to provide professional development for your early childhood education program without getting answers to these Fast 5 Questions. The really ...
Read MoreLanguage Castle is giving you this infographic so you can use it for advocacy, reports, grants and policy development in support of dual language learners. Click the image or here to download the infographic.
Read MoreBy Karen N. Nemeth What an interesting week in the news for early childhood language and advocates. News reports revealed the growing trend for families in upscale neighborhoods to pay high fees for language immersion schools so their young children can become bilingual. On the other hand we read that, in some cities, families are ...
Read MoreNew Words, New Friends is a story about young children who don’t speak the same language, but their teacher understands about dual language learners and helps them learn strategies to help. Thanks to the dedicated folks at @ReadyRosie.com for creating this video of a mom and child learning together with…Click here to order New Words, ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth Have you seen the articles focusing on language quality this week? In the New York Times on October 16, 2014 we read about Kathy Hirsh-Pasek’s research in Quality of Words, Not Quantity, Is Crucial to Language Skills, Study Says. Researchers are making a powerful case that, for children under the age of 6, ...
Read Morepor Karen Nemeth Recursos en español para educación y desarrollo infantil 2014 ...
Read Moreby Karen N. Nemeth “Parents of DLLs just don’t want to get involved – and it’s hard to know why because many of them don’t speak much English!” Language Castle Fast 5 Gamechangers gives you five fast changes you can make now to start seeing better results. If your goal is to just get some ...
Read Moreby Karen N. Nemeth photo by Bigstock.com You know what they say – “First impressions are lasting impressions.” What happens on the first day or two of preK can set the tone for a young DLL’s entire year! These FAST 5 Gamechangers will make sure each child gets the best possible start – paving the ...
Read Moreby Karen N. Nemeth Diego and Mei-ling may be small, but they worked hard to learn in their preschool this year. They did a lot of preschool learning, social learning AND language learning, but what will happen to all that knowledge over the long weeks of summer leading up to the first day of kindergarten? ...
Read MoreSkype can provide an open window to interact with the world. For young children, it can make different languages and cultures take on a whole new meaning. Skype can be downloaded for free on any computer or tablet device.
Read MoreHow New Words, New Friends was Born! by Karen N. Nemeth “Why don’t you play much with the other kids, Vivi?” “Most of the kids speak Spanish and they just talk to each other. If my friend who speaks my language doesn’t come to school one day, I don’t have anybody to play with.” “Don’t ...
Read Moreby Karen N. Nemeth Celebrate World Mother Language Day on February 21, 2014 by Sharing the 4 Pillars of Support for Home Language: Brain, Identity, Family and Social Skills Development Over the past year, we’ve shared several major research reports that confirm the importance of supporting each child’s home language, or “mother language”. I make ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth It’s 2014 – so you shouldn’t be surprised that every education conference is asking you to follow proceedings on Twitter. Don’t be afraid. When you try it, you’ll really like what this use of social media has to offer. Here are some tips: 1. Twitter is free and it’s public – anyone ...
Read MoreBy Karen Nemeth Reports about the damaging effects of poor school attendance in early childhood education, particularly kindergarten, have been in the news lately. Whenever that happens, lists of solutions soon follow. I am concerned that most of these solutions are focused on the superficial symptoms rather than on the root causes. If we really ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth I have been asked several times for personal advice when a colleague knows a young child is moving to the US and they want to be helpful and supportive. These supports can be valuable to all dual language learners. My suggestions: 1. Comfort is key, stress is the enemy of young children ...
Read Moreby Karen Nemeth In August, a newly updated report by Dr. Linda Espinosa clearly explains what the research tells us about working effectively with young dual language learners (children who are growing up bilingual). Five years ago the first version of this report was released and I wrote my first book, Many Languages, One Classroom, ...
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