One Child, Two Languages

SECOND EDITION

A Guide for Early Childhood Educators of

Children Learning English as a Second Language

One Child, Two Languages: A Guide for Early Childhood Educators of Children Learning English as a Second Language, Second Edition, by Patton O. Tabors. Copyright © 2008 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved.

Observing Children Learning English (OCLE)

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This checklist is a tool for keeping track of the progress of young children learning English as a second language over time. In the checklist, understands means that the child responds nonverbally to a word or phrase, repeats means that the child repeats a word or phrase used by another person, and uses means that the child produces a word or phrase without anyone having recently used the same word or phrase. To collect accurate information, particularly concerning what a child understands, it is important to make sure that the child isn’t responding to other cues in the context (e.g., gestures, eye gaze, what other children are doing, what is expected in a given situation). For example, a child who sees other children sitting down at a table and complies when asked to sit down may be demonstrating a reading of the situation rather than actual word comprehension. Items may be completed when observed in naturally occurring communication or may be elicited. Place the date and any other notes in the blank space provided after each item.

Child’s name Teacher’s name
Start date Completion date

Observing Children Learning English (OCLE) (continued)

Observing Children Learning English (OCLE) (continued)

Observing Children Learning English (OCLE) (continued)

Observing Children Learning English (OCLE) (continued)

Other notes concerning these observations

*One Child, Two Languages: A Guide for Early Childhood Educators of Children Learning English as a Second Language, Second Edition, by Patton O. Tabors. Copyright © 2008 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved.