Dear Shari,
You are asking a very clear and practical question. It just happens to be about a topic that also brings up strong attitudes and feelings among many people. Since this is an online forum - I will answer the question in a general way, with the understanding that each school has to consider both the research evidence and their local context. Stick with me here, because I have to make a statement for the general audience, but I will also then answer what you asked me here.

As an expert in language development, i do not support the imposition of an English-only rule in a preschool. Most research shows that support of the home language while also scaffolding the development of English is the best approach. Position papers by NAEYC (the largest professional organization for early childhood educators), TESOL (the largest international association for teachers of English to speakers of other languages), OHS (the federal Office of Head Start) and CEC DEC (the largest national association for early childhood special educators) ALL clearly state that young children should be provided with support for their home language and English in the early years. There really are no national associations or experts that are supporting English-only programs when resources are available in both of the main languages in a community. When children have access to a teacher who provides high quality interactions and activities in their home language during the preschool years, that would generally predict a high rate of success in later transition to English, even if not much progress in English is made in the preschool term. Some research has shown that children may have better long-term success if they are NOT rushed into all-English in the early years. ( See August & Shanahan (Eds) 2007 book: Developing reading and writing in second-language learners: lessons from the report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth) But - it is important to note that there is very little research that focuses specifically on populations that speak English and Hebrew or that may have addressed exactly the characteristics of the population you are working with.

Anecdotally, I have heard teachers from monolingual classrooms complain that some children stick together and won't make any new friends. I have heard from teachers in multilingual classrooms that children of the same language stick together and remain isolated. BUT - I have also heard numerous examples where there are several children who speak the same language in the classroom and they do NOT play much together, choosing instead to make friends with other children who share their interests even though they may not speak each other's language. So, if I were called upon to give a program advice about how to help children from different languages learn to play together, I would not jump to the conclusion that the language was the only factor and I would work on solutions that address those social skills across the board. For example, I might advise that a program such as the one described by Shari might be a good candidate for a dual language immersion format where all children learn in both languages. Some programs do half the day in one language and half the day in the other, or alternate days or weeks. That way, the English speaking teacher teaches all in English during English time and the Hebrew teacher teaches everyone in Hebrew during that time. Then instead of widening the divide between language groups in a community, all of the young children grow up learning the languages of their friends and their community.

Here are some ideas for reconciling with the goals stated in Shari's question and for including all of the children.
1. Teach all of the children skills that help them communicate with someone who speaks another language - such as speaking slowly, repeating, using lots of gestures and demonstrating what you mean.
2. Assign children into buddy teams, then provide lots of opportunities for them to do chores together or play together so they can get to know each other and help each other.
3. Play cooperative games that encourage working together and having fun together -such as painting a large mural together, or planting a garden, or a game where everyone as to find something red and put it on the table before the song ends. These games encourage children to help each other and learn the value of each other's friendship across the language barrier.
4. Play and dance to music in both languages.
5. All teachers can model their willingness to try to learn each other's language and show the children that their language differences do not keep them apart.
6. Share family style meals - during which the adults sit with the children and facilitate conversations. This is not the time to have any music playing in the background. The focus should be on social interactions - not just getting through the meal.
7. Share a lot of stories about characters who are different but learn to appreciate each others' differences and enjoy working and playing together.
8. Allow children time to just play with their friends who speak their language - rather than turning it into a battle.
9. Work with the parents in a variety of ways - and that means ALL the parents. You will need to touch every family in order to make real change in the community of your program so that families know your goal is to encourage the children who live there to grow up enjoying each other and getting along.
Good resources for this question might be:
Getting it RIGHT for Young Children from Diverse Backgrounds by Linda Espinosa or
One Child, Two Languages (2nd edition) by Patton Tabors.

I wish you the best, Shari!

Karen Nemeth
www.languagecastle.com

Dear RuthAnn,
I'm so glad you asked this question. It is a great reminder that, just because something is good for children, that doesn't mean they will confidently jump right in. Of course, there are lots of academic, social and economic reasons why your child is lucky to have the opportunity to attend a dual language program. But, the fact remains that starting Kindergarten can be a scary time - and if she feels a bit scared, having to a classroom where they are not speaking her language is tough for any child. So, I have one piece of advice that will answer all your questions: Stop calling yourself "a non-Spanish speaking parent"!! Take on the role of "Spanish co-learning parent" or the "I'm willing to give it a try right alongside you parent". This is important to model learning confidence for your child. It is also important because many of the gains made in this dual language year may fade out if her Spanish skills are not regularly used outside of school and as she gets older.

I'd suggest getting some bilingual story books with CDs, or bilingual ebook apps if you have an iPod or iPad or similar device. Visit the www.colorincolorado.org website for bilingual resources. Get familiar music with Spanish words. Try watching favorite TV programs or children's movies together that are spoken in Spanish with the English subtitles. These familiar items will make it easier for you to learn some Spanish along with your daughter. Hopefully she'll feel more comfortable at school if she has plenty of experience with Spanish at home. Ask her teachers for materials you can use to extend her learning at home. What games are they playing? What songs and stories are they using? This will enable your child to share with you about her day and start feeling the power of learning a new language that she can share with her family. You don't need to make this your full time job. I'm giving you a lot of suggestions so you can pick and choose activities that you could do just a little to make a big difference for your daughter. Have a wonderful time!

Dear Angel,
I hope you will consider writing your experiences into an article for Young Children or Teaching Young Children. We can learn so much from your experiences in this unique setting. I would like to start my response by saying that I am not in favor of pre-packaged language learning programs or early literacy curriculum packages. I believe that language is meant to develop in the context of nurturing relationships, imaginative play, genuine stories, music, spontaneous creating, exploring and naturally occurring conversations. I would consider this view even more important for a setting like the one you are describing where the surrounding culture is so strong and unified. With that in mind, if I were going to recommend resources for you and your teachers, I would focus on books and research that build your understanding of how language develops and what we know about the way the brain processes language on the path toward literacy. With the strongest possible understanding of language development, I believe you and your colleagues will be able to use the tremendous knowledge you have about your community, the culture and the individual children to give them the experiences they need. I can't imagine any pre-packaged curriculum that could do better. I actually am in favor of using baby sign language - that is based on real American Sign Language because it is a standard set of gestures that provides very strong visual support for spoken language. Rather than thinking of it as a third language (which it technically is), just focus on learning and practicing the signs to support key words in interactions, stories, games, and so on. You would use it to enhance the languages in place rather than trying to 'teach' it as a new language.
You asked for resources and I'm going to list some here. Then, I'll start watching the magazines for your story to appear!
This article is in the current issue of Young Children: Animal Tracks on the Playground, Minnows in the Sensory Table: Incorporating Cultural Themes to Promote Preschoolers’ Critical Thinking in American Indian Head Start Classrooms / Mia Dubosarsky, Barbara Murphy, Gillian Roehrig, Linda C. Frost, Jennifer Jones, and Stephan P. Carlson with Nette Londo, Carolyn J.B. Melchert, Cheryl Gettel, and Jody Bement

Powerful Interactions ( the new book from NAEYC) by Amy Laura Dombro, Judy Jablon and Charlotte Stetson.

Many Languages, One Classroom: Teaching Dual and English Language Learners (by me, Karen Nemeth)

Head Start's National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness has recently created a catalog of resources for preserving native and heritage languages:
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/docs/re...

And here is a list of language development resources:http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/Dual%20Language%20Learners/ecd/language_development/Reports.htm

Thank you!
Karen Nemeth
www.languagecastle.com

I just returned from traveling in your neck of the woods. How immense and beautiful!
I think you're on the right track! Beautiful language and opportunities to hear it and speak it! What immediately comes to mind is the art of storytelling and then providing children with the props to "play" the story or play in general- small block/toy play and dramatic play with open ended materials ala Waldorf early childhood programs. Tell the same story every day for a week- use small handmade table puppets- made from felt, cotton knit, and wool fleece for hair. Check out Suzanne Down's facebook page for visuals, stories, etc... as well as (for ex....Simple Felt Butterfly and Turtle with Verse)
thewonderofchildhood.com Fingerplays, singing, etc....

Dear anonymous:
The answer to your question is: I don't know. There are many traditions that young children take part in whether they understand them or not. People may want to start those traditions early, allowing children to grow into them and develop deeper understanding as the mature - but that is a matter of choice. As far as traditions go, the Pledge of Allegiance takes very little time and doesn't really interfere with developmentally appropriate goals for the children in your program. So - if it is important to the staff, community and/or families in your program - it may do some good and probably won't do any harm. If, on the other hand, there are reasons why you don't want to use the Pledge in preschool, there's no doubt children can learn it later.

I think one thing to remember is children learning a second language have a lot more to worry about than when they were babies learning their first language. For first graders, the language learning process is complicated by a number of factors such as the child's previous experiences, temperament, social confidence, attitudes about language, and the way he or she is treated by peers and adults. You are seeing this complexity playing out in your classroom. The most effective strategies for including children who are dual language learners depend on getting to know each child as an individual and developing techniques that will work best with that child. If you have a child who doesn't like to be singled out, focus more on having individual interactions with him. Many children don't like to be called on to talk in front of the group. That may or may not be due to their feelings about showing off their language abilities. Some other ways to honor the language abilities of children in your class might be: introduce bilingual books and games, watch videos and read about life in different countries where Spanish is spoken, and invite volunteers who speak Spanish to come to your classroom. You might work together with all of the children to learn useful, communication words in Spanish so the children can talk to each other. We do see - at an alarming rate - young children who are leaving their home language behind or becoming ashamed of their first language. I applaud you for looking for new ways to help your students continue to feel good about their bilingual abilities.
Karen Nemeth
www.languagecastle.com

Dear reader,

I think your last sentence is the most important part of your question. It's about so much more than just building vocabulary! Most bilingual families will tell you that raising bilingual children is an admirable and achievable goal - but it is not always easy. This is one of the reasons why we are urging preschool programs to support home languages. When a child attends an English-only school, he may get the impression that his home language is not important or not 'cool' and is not the language spoken by his teacher and friends. I suggest that you meet with his teacher and bring some articles from past issues of NAEYC's Young children that explain why home language support in preschool is important. Look for Meeting the Home Language Mandate in March 2009 and Story Book Reading with Dual Language Learners in January 2011. Then I suggest that you do more to build excitement and interest about your home language. Use Skype or some other means to engage your children in conversations with relatives who speak your language. Fill the environment with toys, games, books and music to support that language in the most fun and entertaining ways. Plan activities where the children dictate and try to write notes or prepare little story scripts they can act out together. Try to investigate things or solve problems together using only your language. Try to form a language-based playgroup with other parents and children. Here is a website offered by multilingual families to share ideas and tips: www.multilingualliving.com Don't give up!

Hi, Sally
Strategies to serve and support EL children in your classrooms? That's what my whole book, Many Languages, One Classroom is about! I will share some strategies here. I am especially glad you asked about interactions. There is a lot of talk about the importance of interactions for high quality preschool education. What's often missing from that talk is: what happens when the two partners don't speak the same language. As a field, we need to work harder to ensure that children with different languages and children with different language abilities can participate in those all-important conversations. Here are some thoughts:
*In a multilingual classroom, it is important to reduce large group times and focus more on opportunities for individual or small group interactions every day.
*Put extra effort into observing dual language learners so you can get to know them and build rapport across the language barrier. What upsets her or comforts her? What are her favorite activities, songs, stories? Which other children seem to connect with her? What does her play reveal about what she knows and can do?
* Slow down. Make eye contact. Linger. And - to borrow from Judy Jablon, Charlotte Stetson and Amy Dombro's Powerful Interactions: Be present with the child. If they are painting a picture, take some time to paint by their side. If they are building with blocks, sit down and build with them. Think about encouraging the concepts children may be learning even if you can't talk to each other about them yet. And think about the value of those unspoken interactions.
*Learn some key words in each child's language (see suggestions in earlier replies here).
*Enhance the communication value of your attempts to interact in your language - be intentional in your use of non-verbal cues.
* And help parents understand that language is much too important to the preschool curriculum to be considered an option that they can choose. I often ask teachers: If a family told you they thought math was a waste of time and they didn't want you to do any math with their child in school, would you go along with that? Of course, not. Parents are entitled to their opinions and to the hopes and dreams they hold for their children. But, when the research says it is important to support both home language and English in preschool - you need to find a way to nicely come to agreement with the parents. Key point: So much of learning in preschool builds on prior knowledge. For DLLs, much of that prior knowledge is learned in their home language and understood in that language, so building on prior learning depends on using some of the home language to help connect between prior learning and new learning.

There is a growing body of research about international adoptions. There is a helpful chapter in Dual Language Development and Disorders (2nd edition) by Johanne Paradis, Fred Genesee and Martha Crago. Your example raises an important note. The age of the child at the time of the adoption is very important in making plans for supporting their home language and English learning. My answer might be different if the child was adopted at the age of 6 months. A 2 1/2 year old child has already learned so much in their home language. We know, in the ideal world, that supporting the home language would be the best way to go. However, in the case of adoptions where the child is now in a monolingual English family with no access to home language in their neighborhood or community, then it is likely that language will fade out. Language depends on active, conversational, productive use to be maintained. Offering a few songs or stories in preschool is a good way to celebrate the child's first culture, but is not likely to give her the practice with talking that she really needs to keep her language. In this case, I would have a good conversation with the family and find out how they want to address these cultural issues. If there is no evidence of that first culture in the child's home, then the child may not connect with your efforts in the classroom. If the parents do want to support that cultural awareness, then work with them to determine which aspects of that culture can be shared to create appropriate connections. It will not be helpful to the child to get conflicting messages from her family and her school about who she is or where she belongs. The most important thing, I believe, is to work with the family to provide a unified, consistent approach.

I'm glad to hear that you have a plan for teaching in English and Spanish in your program. Many teachers wonder what to do about the alphabets in multilingual classrooms. It's important to remember that, at this age, there are going to be some children who are ready to learn the alphabet easily and others who go through the whole year and don't seem to get it. That's true in Spanish-only preschool and in English-only preschool. There's not going to be one easy answer for a bilingual class. It may be more effective to get to know what each child in your program needs to get them ready to learn the alphabet rather than trying to come up with a single plan for the whole class. Some of the recent research suggests that it may be most effective to teach children the alphabet or characters of their home language first. Once they learn that system, they know how sounds and words are represented by printed symbols and they can more easily learn new alphabets. But, in many areas, preschool teachers are pressured to make sure all children know the English alphabet when they go to kindergarten. With that in mind, I suggest that you try to introduce each child's home language alphabet to them first. Then, watch the children for signs they are ready and start introducing the English alphabet later in the year. Some children will understand what the alphabet is and how it works - and they will be ready to learn the English alphabet in separate activities. Other children need more time to figure it out. Encourage parents to do a lot more home language literacy activities with their children to give this process a boost. In any case, I usually recommend that you keep the alphabets separate. I prefer to see alphabet, and all pre-literacy skills, practiced in context of natural interactions, stories, songs, and developmentally appropriate activities.

A classroom of three year olds who speak nine different languages would be a challenge for any teacher!
Here are my top two tips:
1. Pictures! A digital camera will allow you to capture examples of the fun activities and the struggles of the children in order to share with families. You can make a communication board with pictures of key terms that you or the child or family can point to when trying to understand each other.
2. Sign language! Learning key words in American Sign Language will enhance everyone's understanding when you use the signs along with spoken words in any language. There are lots of resources online and in libraries because of the popular baby sign language trend. Signs act as standardized gestures that everyone can understand - and the sign you make for bathroom will be the same no matter how often the children move around from program to program.
You can use online translation programs to give you some idea of how to say things in other languages - but these programs don't always work for early childhood or for different cultures. So, the best thing to do is try to find volunteers among staff, parents or community members who can partner with you to review materials you have had translated to make sure they are respectful, accurate and culturally appropriate. You should try to use a certified interpreter for important discussions - or another trusted adult.
Planning a curriculum is a whole different question - equally challenging! I suggest that you focus on all the ways you can help children express themselves even if you don't understand their language. Use lots of music and movement (in different languages), art experiences, and active, physical play. When you read to them, pick simple, repetitive stories to read in English and use lots of expression, silly voices, gestures and props to act them out. It's good to learn a few words in each child's language to make that connection with them - but you may have to do most of your communicating in English. Support this communication with visual support like pictures, props, and body language. Keep in mind that when you provide an environment with high quality supplies and materials that stimulate self expression, discovery and pretend play, children will learn all kinds of things through their powerful play.

Hello, Carol
You know, I get this question in almost every presentation I do! So, I'm glad you gave everyone a chance to think about it here.
Let parents know that you share their goal of helping their child to learn English and preparing them to succeed in school and in life. However, as an educator, you know that the best way to achieve that goal is to continue supporting the home language during the early years. Being respectful does not mean agreeing with everything the parents say. There's a reason you have the job you have. Out of respect for the family, it is important that you share your knowledge and expertise when necessary. You might explain to them that rushing into English while young children are still in the process of learning their home language may cause the child to miss out on important concepts and experiences that form the basis for language development. We also need to remember that each child's home language is part of who they are, and it is the glue that strengthens family bonds. Strong sense of self and strong family support are two key factors in school readiness and success. This document, available in English and Spanish on the Head Start ECLKC website, has some strong quotes you might use in your discussions with parents. http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/cultural-linguistic/Dual%20...

Hi,

I'm an early childhood student writing a research paper on the topic of the importance of maintaining the home language. Please correct me if I'm wrong. But in my opinion, maybe you can show parents some books or research done by renown authors of their views on the importance of the home language.
Dau (2001) states that " A firm foundation in the first language gives children a basis from which to learn a second language." (p.107). According to Jim Cummins who coined the acronyms CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency), students who have a strong CALP in the first language require less time to learn the second language compared to children who do not have a strong basis to their first language (may take double the time to learn the second language). The lack of knowledge that CALP is transferable from one language to another may be the reason in reluctance to encourage children to read in first language. We should take advantage of the fact that children already had CALP in the first language to speed up the acquisition of CALP in second langauge (Butcher, 1995, p.63).
Parents may think that since their children are learning a 'total different language', there are no relation between the two languages. I feel that helping parents to realise the connection between first language and second language acquisition enables them to view the second language acquisition in the light of the home language. Then they can evaluate their children's level of CALP in one language (whether their children are ready to acquire a next language). This is another important fact that I want to share. If children from birth is not bilingual and if they learn a new language when first language is not stable and does not support learning of a second (around 5-6yrs old), children in this situation experience a period being limited in both language which affects their ability to learn.

Dau, E. (2001). The anti-bias approach in early childhood Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Education Australia.

Butcher, L. S. (1995). Mother tongue literacy maintenance among the children of recent Chinese immigrants in Brisbane. Adelaide, S. Aust.: Helios Art & Book Co.

Sorry!!! it was suppose to say "Learning English is not so important right now"

Hi, Lenora.
I agree with you that helping young children learn an additional language is really a gift you are giving them. It helps them understand how language works, helps them to be more comfortable and respectful when they hear people speaking different languages, and may give them and edge in the job market someday - if they keep it up. But I also agree with you that the way you learn language in college is not a good match for the way young children need to learn language. We all know the best way for young children to learn anything is through play. So - now that you have introduced language activities with them, it may be time to branch off from your college vocabulary and focus on building language that works with the ages of the children in your care. I would do this by introducing new songs and rhymes in Spanish, getting plenty of bilingual story books as well as non-fiction books, and adding Spanish language items to play areas. Try getting menus, magazines, catalogs or food packages with Spanish words to incorporate into activities. You can even create your own games to make practicing fun. At some point you might try to have Spanish-only meal time, or Spanish-only art activity to add to the learning challenge. With any of these activities, you will find that you are learning new words and sentences right along with the children - and hopefully that will help you succeed in your college course as well! There are lots of ideas in Many Languages, One Classroom - and my next book from Gryphon House which offers guidance for working with infants and toddlers who are learning in more than one language. A great website for English and Spanish literacy resources is www.colorincolorado.org. You can also order a number of Spanish language resources from NAEYC.

Well, Reggie - this is certainly a question that has been the focus of controversy for many years. I think there is research to support several 'sides' in the controversy and I don't claim to know the right answer. I can tell you, at least, that young children are quite capable of learning in two or more languages - and learning when to use each of their languages. We might apply the same thinking to our work with children who come from communities where there is a strong presence of a dialect or version of English. I think it is important for cultural traditions, self-esteem, and family strength to support natural home languages and dialects. I also think it is possible to help children learn that both the language spoken in their home and the language spoken in school are valuable and respectable - and we can all learn when to use certain kinds of words each in their appropriate places. Rather than calling one form 'wrong' or 'bad', I would suggest that teachers find ways to intentionally show children what forms are expected in school and when it is OK to use forms that are more comfortable at home. I think teachers who understand language development and metalinguistic skills will be best prepared to succeed in this circumstance. And... I would love to get YOUR perspective about strategies as well! Thanks for the question.

Hi, Brenda
I know you asked one question, but I think it deserves a four-part answer.
1. Helping children develop phonological awareness (P.A.) in their home language is likely to support their understanding of phonology in English. Once they really grasp the idea that words are made of sounds that we can predict and control - they can use that understanding in English later.
2. Children who have more experience and and bigger vocabulary with their first language may have more success developing phonological awareness in that language, then transferring the knowledge to English.
3. I will list a few tips below. When possible, use them with the child's home language. For children who are doing well in both languages - you might use these strategies in both of their languages. But - use them at different times of day, or on different days, to support P.A. sometimes in home language and sometimes in English. For example, you might focus on English in the morning and the other language in the afternoon. Some programs find they need to use an English-only approach with DLLs. This may be more challenging for the child and requires the adults to be even stronger in their intentional supports of phonological awareness.
4. Phonological awareness tips for DLLs (can be used in English and other languages):
* Use each child's name to highlight the sounds - then work on their most familiar words.
* Use songs, stories and chants that focus on the sounds of different parts of words. Some examples: Bate Bate Chocolate, or Willoughby Wallaby Woo. Don't be afraid to make up little songs and chants to practice important sounds.
* Get parents involved - show them how to support P.A. in home language and why this is important.
* Draw attention to word sounds that occur in natural interactions when the child is most interested.
* Create opportunities by placing items in the different areas of the classroom to support initial sound comparisons or rhyming words. If you know Bianca likes to play at the water table - add some white boats so you can intentionally plan to say "Bianca, tienes un barco blanco." and talk about the 'b' sounds.
* Weave these activities into all areas of the classroom, and all times of the day. A child might build a "tall tower with ten blocks" in the block area or they might ask for "four more" crackers at snack time. Phonological awareness should be more than a lesson - it should be part of the fun and excitement young children have as they play with words and feel the power of their growing communication abilities.

Hi, Nancy,
This is a great way for any teacher to make an essential connection with a child who doesn't speak your language. You can see an anonymous reply to your question here. It is true that there can be problems with any online translation service. They are generally prepared to help business people or travelers - and may use terms that are accurate but not appropriate for young children. They may also use forms of a language that don't match the intent of your message or the dialect of the people you are talking too. I think the first, best approach is to ask the family. Not only does this allow you to learn the words the child is used to, but it also encourages the family to step up to their role as empowered, equal partners in their child's education. You might also use children's music or children's stories (find books with CDs or book apps online to hear words pronounced) in the needed languages to give you some phrases that are right for your classroom. If you really need to use the online translations - be sure to have a couple of native speakers listen first to make sure you are on the right track.

By asking the family, because as family they will tell you the words they use at home with the child, if you look on a dictionary or search online is going to be dificult for you because the pronunciation it will be different, also there are a lot of meannings and you'll be confuse with the words, because sometimes some words are different from Mexico, South America and Puerto Rico.

Hi, Linda,
Whenever children are pulled from the classroom for special programs or supports, it becomes a topic of conversation for the rest. I know other teachers have dealt with this issue - and there's no 'best' way. I suggest that you have the conversation when all the children are together. Perhaps explain that school is a place where everyone comes to learn, and everyone has different ways to learn and different things they need to learn. Some children who are ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) already have the wonderful ability to speak a different language and now that they are in school they will have some activities to help them learn English as well. I would suggest that you spend part of every day acknowledging those other languages so all the children can see them as interesting and worthy of respect. Maybe you could learn to say a few words in each child's language or learn songs or rhymes together.
Here are a few ideas to help all the children participate during story time:
* Pick stories that have lots of repetition or recognizable key words.
* Teacher and children can use props to act out parts of the story
* Add toys, games and props related to the story in different areas of the room to revisit the words and concepts that were introduced.
* Read stories again and again... and again.
* Choose stories that allow children to participate together by chanting, making motions, or mimicking sounds.
You can find more strategies in my book, Many Languages, One Classroom - and in the January 2011 Young Children article "Storybook Reading for Young Dual Language Learners" by Gillanders and Castro.