Distillation
Multilingualism: Multiple Benefits
Multilanguage learners (MLLs) are children learning two (or more) languages at the same time. Multilingualism has multiple benefits.
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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Explore stories from early childhood professionals, learn about different cultures and find resources for modeling inclusivity and increasing family support.
Did you know?
Research shows bilingual children have a better working memory than children who speak only one language.
- Spanish is the most common non-English language spoken in the United States.
- The number of Spanish speakers in the U.S. has increased by 210% since 1980.
- Nearly 1 in 3 babies born in the United States are Latine.
Highlighting Hispanic & Latin American Leaders
Latine leaders in early childhood are driving meaningful change and fostering inclusive communities. See how they are working to ensure diverse representation in the field and create a sense of belonging for all children, families and professionals.
Growing Up Bilingual: Challenges and Comforts
When Verónica Chávez, PhD, set out to join the mental health field, she never fully considered the impact her cultural upbringing would have on the families she works with.
How does supporting bilingual families contribute to IECMH?
Hear from DC:0-5 certified trainers working in the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Building Bilingual Brains: Educators Who Are Making an Impact
Natalia and Felissa chat about their approach and passion for Sol y Luna, their nature play-based, Spanish immersion preschool.
I believe IECMH remains the most important gateway to a better future for our Latine families.
Downloads for Professionals
Building Relationships and Buffering Toxic Stress: Group-Based Medical Care With Spanish-Speaking Latino Families
This article describes a group model for medical visits during pregnancy and early childhood, an intervention designed to promote relationships and address toxic stress for Spanish-speaking Latino families.
Beyond a Haircut, lunch pail, and new shoes: Opening Doors to School Readiness for Latino Children and their Parents
Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors is an evidence-based program developed by and for Latino parents of young children to address opportunity gaps related to young Latino children.
Historical, Sociopolitical and Mental Health Implications of Forcibly Separations in Young Migrant Latin American Children and Their Families
This article addresses immigration as a psychosocial event and describes the different stages of the immigration process, when immigration becomes traumatic, and how each immigration stage can place vulnerable Latin American families, at high risk for traumatic stress. The authors explore pre-migration experiences and the factors bringing young families to cross the United States– Mexico border.
Taking Two Languages to Preschool: Supporting Children who are Dual Language Learners
Partnering with a bilingual child’s teachers can help to ensure that the child’s language skills continue to grow, along with her connections to family, community and culture.
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Dual Language Development: Double the Benefit
Learning two languages from birth changes the way a child’s brain is wired—just one of the many gifts that bilingualism offers to young children.
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Who Am I? Sharing Picture Books that Nurture Positive Self-Identity
Diverse children's books offer young children a world where characters look like them and relatable stories. This shows them their lives are worthy of being celebrated.
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Using Stories to Nurture Identity
How can parents help construct positive self-identity in children? Read more about using stories to nurture identity.
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More than half of babies being born today are children of color.
We are committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion for babies, toddlers and their families.
