As the popularity of dual language preschool programs grows, it is becoming increasingly important to define learning progressions for the new languages that preschoolers are learning in these programs. Teachers need to know what kinds of supports for language development to provide, and administrators need to know the proficiency profile of their student groups. They may also need to report on the initial level and the language proficiency development of individual students.
The Head Start Early Learning Framework and the California Preschool frameworks define learning expectations for preschoolers’ physical, social, and cognitive development. They include definitions of linguistic development both implicitly and explicitly. The framework descriptors are organized by age. The ELD portion of the California Preschool Learning Foundations also characterizes three stages of language and literacy development (beginning, middle, and later) for preschoolers whose home language is not English. The speakers will show how the definitions in these frameworks can be used to select or develop assessments that help identify language learners and monitor the development of their proficiency.