Eugene E. Garcia

Product Description: Young Hispanic children are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority population in the United States, representing diverse racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. What can we learn from the empirical literature, theory, programs, and policies associated with language and early learning for young Hispanics? What are the home and school factors important to differences in early cognitive development and educational well-being?

The chapters in this important book provide up-to-date syntheses of the research base for young ELLs on critical topics such as demographics, development of bilingualism, cognitive and neurological benefits of bilingualism, and family relationships, as well as classroom, assessment, and teacher-preparation practices. Each chapter reviews the research and answers the following questions: What does the research clearly indicate for policy and practice?; How solid is this database and what findings are emerging?; What should the research agenda be for young ELLs?