Learning More about Dual Language Learners

A large and growing share of children across the United States have at least one parent who speaks a language other than English in the home. These Dual Language Learners (DLLs) make up one-third of all U.S. children ages 0 to 5 and even larger shares in some states, as this infographic shows. The wide range of languages spoken in DLLs’ households reflects the considerable diversity within this population and is an important consideration for efforts by early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs to reach and effectively serve these young children.

This infographic accompanies a set of fact sheets highlighting key characteristics of DLLs and their families in the 25 states with the largest DLL populations, and a policy brief that looks at language access policies in the ECEC field that aim to support DLLs’ participation in early childhood programs.