CASE STUDY Ming Learns English
Ming Learns English
You met Ming at the beginning of the chapter and might remember her strong verbal skills. She comes from a low-income family. The Department of Social Services provides her child care free of charge because of the severe poverty of her family. She often comes to the program without having eaten and insufficiently, dressed for the weather. Her 24-year-old mother is a day laborer who has three other children under the age of 7 .
Ming's teacher, Ms. Tao, has known from daily interactions that her mother has limited English proficiency. When the first parent conference was held, she called on the services of another parent who is bilingual in her specific dialect. While explaining her observations of Ming's development in all freas, she learned that Ming's mother was overwhelmed with all of the information. She slowed down and focused on what she believed were the most important pieces of information about Ming. For
example, she shared that Ming was on target with her language and cognitive development but is often hungry and tired. Working through the interpreter, they created a plan to redesign the evening routine to help Ming get more sleep. The teacher also provided information on community resources such as a local food bank in case the family didn't have access to enough food resources.
What impact do poverty and/or a lack of food have on a child's development?
Which factors do you think have helped Ming to be on target with her cognitive and language skills? What strategies used by Ms. Tao may have helped at school?
What supports at both school and in the home could be provided to help Ming get and then stay on track with the other areas of development? What other supports could be offered to help Ming's family?
most important pieces of information about Ming. For slowed down and focused on what she believed were the was overwhelmed with all of the information. She development in all &reas, she learned that Ming's mother cific dialect. While explaining her observations of Ming's the services of another parent who is bilingual in her spe- When the first parent conference was held, she called on actions that her mother has limited English proficiency. Ming's teacher, Ms. Tao, has known from daily inter- who has three other children under the age of 7. for the weather. Her 24-year-old mother is a day laborer gram without having eaten and insufficiently dressed severe poverty of her family. She often comes to the pro- provides her child care free of charge because of the low-income family. The Department of Social Services remember her strong verbal skills. She comes from a You met Ming at the beginning of the chapter and might Ming Learns English CASESTUDY Ming's family? 3. at school? 2 Ming Learns English What other supports could be offered to help on track with the other areas of development? could be provided to help Ming get and then stay What supports at both school and in the home What strategies used by Ms. Tao may have helped be on target with her cognitive and language skills? Which factors do you think have helped Ming to on a child's development? 1. What impact do poverty and/or a lack of food have the family didn't have access to enough food resources. community resources such as a local food bank in case more sleep. The teacher also provided information on a plan to redesign the evening routine to help Ming get and tired. Working through the interpreter, they created language and cognitive development but is often hungry example, she shared that Ming was on target with her
