Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness

Migration between and within countries has increased dramatically in the past few decades around the world. More people leave their communities in search of a better life for them and their children; they are escaping poverty, leaving political instability and violence, or being recruited for their skills and talents. There also are large numbers of indigenous communities in many countries whose cultures and languages are different from the mainstream or dominant culture and language. They are struggling to maintain or revitalize their languages and cultures of origin. As a consequence, millions of children are growing up in communities characterized by increased cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. This entry discusses early childhood care and education in multilingual and multicultural societies, bilingualism, and issues of quality and ...