| This study is a qualitative study that investigated the L1 and L2 peers' contribution to the language development of Korean bilingual children in one preschool classroom in a Midwestern university campus town in the USA. Natural non-participant observation, videotaping, interview, and fieldnotes were used to collect children's talk. The nature of verbal interaction, verbal helping strategies, code-switching, and finally, a new Korean boy's SLA process were the focus of the qualitative examination.; The first significant finding of the current study was that peers' verbal interaction was dynamic and multidimensional. Play with appropriate play materials, presence of communicable peers, and verbal interaction were important factors in providing an authentic context for the language learners to acquire L1 and/or L2. These three conditions were closely intertwined with each other in relation to the L1 and/or L2 acquisition.; Second, the L1 and L2 peers used effective strategies to help the peers to engage actively in talk. They used peer prompts to facilitate the peers' talk with social relationships, identifying gender, requesting, playing with words, and using role play. While making continuous verbal interaction, the peers exchanged roles as peer teachers and peer learners in helping and following their peers depending on their expertise in language development. Third, the Korean bilingual children's code-switching was revealed as a critical tool used to enable meaningful communication with L1 and L2 peers and to express their flexibility in language and cognition and keeping confidentiality with others. The Korean bilingual children's use of culturally specific terms revealed that they switched from one to the other language and switched from one culture to the other as well. Finally, a new Korean boy became an active bilingual language user with help in English and Korean from his Korean bilingual peers.; Significant findings such as role of play/materials, communicable peers' presence and absence, and culturally specific terms revealed that SLA classroom teachers and researchers should keep these factors in mind when considering a supportive environment for the additive bilingual education. That can encourage simultaneous L1 and L2 acquisition for many language minority preschoolers. |
