This is part 2 of our series on early language learners.

Early childhood and elementary teachers have different ways and tricks to reach this younger crowd- but what does the research have to say? How can we teach early language learners a new language while they are still developing their first language? If we are meeting students where they are, can we expect our younger students to begin communicating in both languages? What kind of activities are really fun, and keep the kids active and engaged?

Let’s first look at what the research says about early language learners and best practices, and then I’ll interview Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, a dynamic Mandarin Chinese language teacher who has experience teaching kids around the world. She shares 6 concrete tips for teaching early language learners.