Language, Learning, and Disability in the Education of Young Bilingual Children

Using an interdisciplinary perspective to discuss the intersection of language development and learning processes, this book summarizes current knowledge and represents the most critical issues regarding early childhood research, policy, and practice related to young bilingual children with disabilities. The book begins with a conceptual framework focusing on the intersection between the fields of early childhood education, bilingual education, and special education. It goes on to review and discuss the role of bilingualism in young children’s development and the experiences of young bilingual children with disabilities in early care and education settings, including issues of eligibility and access to care, instruction, and assessment. The book explores family experiences, teacher preparation, accountability, and policy, ending with recommendations for future research which will inform both policies and practices for the education of young bilingual children with disabilities. This timely volume provides valuable guidance for teachers, administrators, policymakers, and researchers.

Dina C. Castro is Professor and Velma E. Schmidt Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Education, University of North Texas. Her scholarship focuses on equitable early care and education for bilingual children, especially in immigrant, migrant, and indigenous communities.

Alfredo J. Artiles is Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education, Stanford University. His interdisciplinary scholarship examines the paradoxes of educational equity and their consequences in two contexts, namely disability intersections with other sociocultural differences (e.g. race, language, social class, gender) and the implementation of inclusive education across contexts and scales.