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The Language And Literacy Development Of Young Dual Language Learners: A Critical Review, Carol Scheffner Hammer, Erika Hoff, Yuuko Uchikoshi, Cristina Gillanders, Dina Castro, Lia Sandlos

Cristina Gillanders

The number of children living in the United States who are learning two languages is increasing greatly. However, relatively little research has been conducted on the language and literacy development of dual language learners (DLLs), particularly during the early childhood years. To summarize the extant literature and guide future research, a critical analysis of the literature was conducted. A search of major databases for studies on young typically developing DLLs between 2000 and 2011 yielded 182 peer-reviewed articles. Findings about DLL children's developmental trajectories in the various areas of language and literacy are presented. Much of these findings should be …