Head Start programs are committed to recognizing and respecting the culture and language of the children and their families.
Programs emphasize the strengths of each children’s individual culture and language and holding high expectations for all. Administrators, teachers, providers, caregivers, and families can use these resources to promote a positive experience for all children.
The easiest, most important thing is for parents and family members to use their home language every day. Many families worry that using their home language will confuse their children or make it more difficult for them to learn English. Help parents understand that children can learn more than one language at the same time.
Babies are born “citizens of the world.” Children can tell the difference between all the sounds in all the world’s languages at birth.
For an adult, trying to learn a second language can be a difficult task. Young children have a much easier time learning languages than adults. They learn language by having ample opportunities to hear speech from adults and peers.