To learn English, bilingual children need robust vocabulary from parents and caregivers

A study examining parents’ vocabulary and grammar as an influence on children’s acquisition of English, finds that the quality of child-directed speech depends on the speaker’s language proficiency. Children who hear a rich vocabulary acquire a rich vocabulary and children who hear a rich vocabulary in full sentences acquire the ability to put their words together in full sentences. Findings have broad implications for immigrant parents’ language choices at home and for staffing practices in early care and education centers.