Citation

Orellana MF. Early Child Res. Q. 1994; 9(2): 171-193.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0885-2006(94)90004-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Results from a qualitative investigation of the English language acquisition of three Spanish-speaking children enrolled in a bilingual preschool are reported, with a focus on the children's spontaneous use of English when playacting at being figures from popular children's culture. The occurrence of this voice is contrasted with the children's use of Spanish for other types of play, for regular conversation, and for directive comments (spoken as stage directions) during the playacting episodes. The influence of variables in the home, school, and larger social context which appear to promote the dichotomization of the children's voices into the English-speaking "self" and the Spanish-speaking "other" are discussed, and implications for second language acquisition and bilingual development are considered.