Preschool issues concerning English language learners and immigrant children

Preschool issues concerning English language learners and immigrant children: The importance of family engagement

A high-quality preschool for all system in California must be designed to meet the needs of the state’s ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse child population. Of the estimated 1.1 million children who are 3- to 5-years-old and not yet in kindergarten, about 39 percent would most likely be designated as English language learners (ELLs). This issue brief aims to inform discussions related to building a preschool for all system in California, with specific regard to how such a system can meet the needs of ELLs, and help them to thrive in learning and in life.

Focusing on family engagement, this issue brief ’s review of current research confirms that children, families, and programs benefit when parents are involved in their child’s preschool learning both inside the classroom and at home. Family engagement in preschool programs can take many forms. Programs can use research-based strategies to overcome some of the barriers that parents face in their efforts to be involved in their children’s preschool educations. This brief outlines research findings that highlight some of the challenges in and effective strategies for engaging culturally and linguistically diverse families in their young children’s educations.