Teachers need to recognize that experiences in the home and home culture affect children's values, patterns of language use, and interpersonal style. Children are likely to be more responsive to a teacher who affirms the values of the home culture. Teachers need to be aware of these misconceptions and realize that quick and easy solutions are not appropriate for complex problems. Second language learning by school-aged children takes longer, is harder, and involves more effort than many teachers realize. We should focus on the opportunity that cultural and linguistic diversity provides.
Diverse children enrich our schools and our understanding of education in general.
In fact, although the research of the National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity and Second Language Learning has been directed at children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, much of it applies equally well to mainstream students. The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. Skolefors'g i engelsk 1959-1965. Age, rate, and eventual attainment in second language acquisition. The biological foundations of language.