Bilingual Early Childhood Education in Child Care and Preschool Centres.

Abstract

An Australian study developed recommendations, policies, models, and strategies for the establishment, maintenance, and evaluation of bilingual education programs in preschool and child care centers, as either full bilingual programs or bilingual components of other programs. Results are presented here. The methodology used was to describe and evaluate aspects of existing bilingual programs in child care centers and preschools and follow the transition of some participating children to elementary schools. The report begins with recommendations in four groups: those concerning public policy, for policy-makers and government agencies; those concerning preservice and inservice education for early childhood teachers; recommendations regarding program construction, implementation, and evaluation; and suggestions for the professional association (Free Kindergarten Association Multicultural Resource Centre) sponsoring the study, to ensure that recommendations result in action and to guide some future activities. A brief rationale follows each group of recommendations. The second section of the report offers policy recommendations that might be used in the policy statements of child care centers and preschools. Section 3 describes considerations in developing a bilingual program, and offers several broad models. Section 4 describes the research project from which these recommendations emerged. The final section summarizes the study's findings. Contains 27 references. (MSE) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************

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