| The topic of dual-language development is relatively understudied, yet young dual-language learners are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States (Hammer et al., 2012; Hoff, 2006, 2013; Paez et al., 2007). There also appears to be a considerable lack of awareness in the field of psychology regarding how to sensitively and knowledgably conduct cognitive and academic assessments with young children who have diverse language experiences, resulting in a misrepresentation of bilingual children as deficient in their language skills (Bailey and Osipova, 2016; Hammer et al., 2012). At the same time, there exists an achievement gap between bilingual and monolingual students that is difficult if not impossible to close over time, illuminating that children's early literacy environments play a critical role in their language development and have the potential to influence later academic success (Bus et al., 2012; Hoff, 2006, 2013). An analysis of the research literature on dual-language development revealed a number of important issues. First, there is the problem of mislabeling bilingual children as deficient in their language skills, when, in fact, the assessments commonly used to measure their language functioning are not normed on a bilingual sample. Second, many psychologists are not assessing bilingual children in both of their languages, resulting in mislabeling and misdiagnosis. Third, the achievement gap between bilingual and monolingual students, and, relatedly, the achievement gap between children from middle- and low-socioeconomic backgrounds, warrants the need for more preventative strategies and early-intervention programs, as well as a more comprehensive understanding of dual-language development within the field of psychology at large. |
