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'Juntos' Effort to Preserve Children's Bilingualism in English-Dominated Language Landscape

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Title: 'Juntos' Effort to Preserve Children's Bilingualism in English-Dominated Language Landscape
Language: English
Authors: Kiyomi Umezawa
Source: Global Education Review. 2025 12(1):27-45.
Availability: Mercy College New York. 555 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. Tel: 914-674-7350; Fax: 914-674-7351; Web site: http://ger.mercy.edu
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Preschool Education
Descriptors: Bilingualism, Native Language, Spanish, Spanish Speaking, Language Maintenance, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Second Language Programs, Language of Instruction, Language Skill Attrition, School Readiness, Researchers, Preschool Teachers, Low Income Students, Social Services, Federal Programs, Immigrants, Social Change, Language Proficiency, Ethnography, Preschool Education
Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Head Start
ISSN: 2325-663X
Abstract: This paper presents a collaborative effort between a Head Start lead teacher and an educational scholar, focusing on a Head Start classroom in a non-traditional migration area in Pennsylvania. The joint initiative, called "Juntos," was undertaken to support children's bilingualism in a context where English is the dominant language. The classroom is located in a semi-rural region, a historically White-dominated area that has undergone significant demographic changes in recent decades. These changes have led to cultural, economic, and linguistic tensions between original residents and new immigrants. Such tensions are evident in the Head Start classroom, where approximately 95% of the students come from Spanish-speaking households. English has historically dominated this region, shaping both the educational system and societal perceptions. Despite the growing Spanish-speaking population, these structures have not adapted to accommodate this shift, resulting in English remaining the primary language of instruction, with Spanish-speaking students often placed in ESL programs. Consequently, school readiness has become synonymous with English proficiency. In this local context, a bilingual lead teacher strives to foster bilingualism among her students while ensuring they meet school readiness criteria, even though her classroom is not designated as bilingual. Her efforts, in collaboration with a researcher, have resulted in students becoming proficient in both English and Spanish. This ethnographic study documents her resistance to the hegemony of English as "the" language of education and seeks to amplify and advocate for the voices of bilingual early childhood educators in linguistically diverse regions where language dominance persists, with the goal of empowerment and representation.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1468336
Database: ERIC
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  Data: 'Juntos' Effort to Preserve Children's Bilingualism in English-Dominated Language Landscape
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kiyomi+Umezawa%22">Kiyomi Umezawa</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Global+Education+Review%22"><i>Global Education Review</i></searchLink>. 2025 12(1):27-45.
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  Data: Mercy College New York. 555 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. Tel: 914-674-7350; Fax: 914-674-7351; Web site: http://ger.mercy.edu
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingualism%22">Bilingualism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Native+Language%22">Native Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish%22">Spanish</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spanish+Speaking%22">Spanish Speaking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Maintenance%22">Language Maintenance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Instruction%22">Second Language Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Programs%22">Second Language Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+of+Instruction%22">Language of Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Skill+Attrition%22">Language Skill Attrition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Readiness%22">School Readiness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Researchers%22">Researchers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Teachers%22">Preschool Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Students%22">Low Income Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Services%22">Social Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Federal+Programs%22">Federal Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Immigrants%22">Immigrants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Change%22">Social Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Proficiency%22">Language Proficiency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnography%22">Ethnography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pennsylvania%22">Pennsylvania</searchLink>
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  Label: Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Head+Start%22">Head Start</searchLink>
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  Data: This paper presents a collaborative effort between a Head Start lead teacher and an educational scholar, focusing on a Head Start classroom in a non-traditional migration area in Pennsylvania. The joint initiative, called "Juntos," was undertaken to support children's bilingualism in a context where English is the dominant language. The classroom is located in a semi-rural region, a historically White-dominated area that has undergone significant demographic changes in recent decades. These changes have led to cultural, economic, and linguistic tensions between original residents and new immigrants. Such tensions are evident in the Head Start classroom, where approximately 95% of the students come from Spanish-speaking households. English has historically dominated this region, shaping both the educational system and societal perceptions. Despite the growing Spanish-speaking population, these structures have not adapted to accommodate this shift, resulting in English remaining the primary language of instruction, with Spanish-speaking students often placed in ESL programs. Consequently, school readiness has become synonymous with English proficiency. In this local context, a bilingual lead teacher strives to foster bilingualism among her students while ensuring they meet school readiness criteria, even though her classroom is not designated as bilingual. Her efforts, in collaboration with a researcher, have resulted in students becoming proficient in both English and Spanish. This ethnographic study documents her resistance to the hegemony of English as "the" language of education and seeks to amplify and advocate for the voices of bilingual early childhood educators in linguistically diverse regions where language dominance persists, with the goal of empowerment and representation.
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Bilingualism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Native Language
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spanish
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      – SubjectFull: Spanish Speaking
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      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
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      – SubjectFull: Social Services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Federal Programs
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      – SubjectFull: Immigrants
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      – SubjectFull: Language Proficiency
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      – SubjectFull: Preschool Education
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      – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania
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      – SubjectFull: Head Start
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