Supporting Language Diversity: Direct Care

Create language rich-environments for all children and families.

Language diversity, also known as linguistic diversity, refers to the different languages that exist and the ways people communicate in a specific location. Given the large number of languages spoken in the U.S., it is very likely that you will serve children, youth and families who speak a language that is unfamiliar to you. Your own communication skills and language strengths will be called upon frequently. If you speak a language other than English, this course will help you use those strengths in your work with children. If you do not speak a language other than English, this course will give you strategies to build a language-rich classroom and program.

Promoting Language Diversity in the Early Years and Beyond

Children and youth enter your program with a range of language experiences, and they come from different language backgrounds. Child and youth programs have an opportunity to help all children develop strong language skills and a healthy sense of self. This lesson introduces common terms related to language development, describes typical development for multi-language learners, and summarizes the benefits of learning multiple languages in the early years and beyond.

Environments and Experiences That Recognize Language Diversity

Child and youth programs are ideal spaces to help children expand their knowledge of languages and cultures. This lesson will describe how you can use your environment, interactions, and planned experiences to nurture multiple languages in your classroom or program.

Building on the Strengths of Multilingual Families, Coworkers, & Communities

Native speakers are the best assets for supporting multiple languages in your program. This lesson describes how to build on the backgrounds and languages present in your program. You will learn how to collaborate with families, colleagues, and community members to build a rich language experience for children and youth.