This blog post is the third installment in a four-part series on family engagement. It was written by Ilyssa Fox, Chief of Operations, Multilingual Promise.
In Los Angeles County, it’s common to hear more than one language in a park, at the grocery store, or coming from a preschool classroom. For most families, languages are not just tools for communication; they are deeply connected to identity, culture, and a sense of home.
In a recent focus group, conducted by the Dual Language Learner Master Plan Advocates Family Engagement Committee, with Chinese-speaking families in LA County, participants shared hopes and concerns that echo what research continues to show across California and the country: families want strong support for their children’s home languages and English, clear guidance from schools, and early learning environments where every language and culture a child brings is seen as a strength that is incorporated meaningfully into instruction and interactions.
What families in this focus group shared closely aligns with national and state research. A recent report from The Century Foundation found that families across languages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and regions overwhelmingly want their children to be bilingual and want access to multilingual, multicultural education beginning in early childhood1. This is not a niche preference. Across Californians surveyed for this report, roughly nine in ten families say they want their children to become bilingual1, and an equally large share want programs that reflect multiple languages and cultures.
Families Want More Than Just Talk, They Want Action
Home Languages Should Be Foundational — Not Optional
Across the focus group, families emphasized that home language is about much more than speaking. It is about belonging, relationships, and connection across generations. Participants described how maintaining Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese) empowers children to communicate with grandparents, participate fully in family life, and stay connected to their cultural roots. Many also shared concerns about how quickly children can lose a home language without intentional support at home or in classroom settings.
Parents reflected on their own schooling experiences—some recalling times when English was the only language valued—and expressed a desire for something different for their children. They want educational environments that support both home language development and English, rather than forcing families to choose one over the other.These experiences reflect broader research findings2. The Century Foundation study shows that families consistently view bilingualism as a benefit and a priority, closely tied to family relationships, cultural identity, and long-term opportunity.
Both Culture and Academic Readiness Should Be Valued
Families want their children to graduate not only able to communicate in two languages, but to read, write, and understand the cultural contexts that give those languages meaning. Parents described an ideal learning environment where teachers use cultural celebrations, stories, and traditions as part of language instruction—not as an occasional add-on.
Research supports their instincts3. When early learning programs respect and build on children’s home languages, children show stronger social-emotional development, confidence, and academic outcomes. Families recognize the expanded possibilities available to children who speak, read, write, and connect in multiple languages, such as greater income and career pathways4, and want to open those doors for their children.
Bilingual and dual-language immersion programs, where instruction occurs in two languages, support English development while helping children maintain their home language over time2. Families want greater access to these options, and improved training and support for teachers working within multilingual early learning classrooms, even if instruction does not take place in formal dual immersion programs.
Communication and Partnership Between Families and Schools Matters
Communication between families and educators about home language preferences was another important issue raised in our focus group. Families stated that they do want to have these conversations with their child’s teacher and they are more likely to do so when they feel respected and understood5.
They highlighted several requests for teachers that would make them feel heard and valued:
- Clear communication about programs and resources in families’ home languages
- Materials and tools that families can use at home to support language learning
- Teachers who understand both the language and the culture of the families they serve
In California, strides are being made to connect with families of young dual language learners and open these important lines of communication. The California Department of Education’s (CDE) California State Preschool Programs (CSPP) and the California Department of Social Services’ (CDSS) early learning programs are now required to develop systems and processes to identify Dual Language Learners, in the language the family speaks, such as by completing CDE’s Family Language Instrument and Family Language and Interest Interview. This tool was designed to “support relationship building with families who have children that are identified as dual language learners and learn more about each child’s experiences with language. When adults understand children’s experiences with language(s), they are able to build upon those experiences and better support children’s development6.”
However, there is still plenty of room to improve. While some schools provide bilingual supports or ESL services, families noted that resources can be limited and uneven, with more resources available in certain languages and fewer in others. Many rely on other parents, libraries, community organizations, or faith-based spaces to learn about available supports. This mirrors broader research showing high family interest in bilingual education, paired with uneven access and awareness depending on location and language1.
Multicultural Learning Should Be Part of Multilingual Learning
For families in the focus group, language learning and cultural learning are inseparable. Parents want curriculum that explains why people celebrate certain holidays, how stories reflect values, and what traditions mean—because this is how language becomes meaningful and lasting.
This perspective is echoed in national research. Families across California and the U.S. want educational environments that honor both language and culture together1, not one without the other. By creating environments that value and integrate diverse languages and cultures, early learning programs can create spaces where all children benefit from meaningful exposure to perspectives and experiences different from their own. This can have profound benefits, including greater awareness, acceptance, and appreciation for others, contributing to a more inclusive and respectful community.
What Research Says About Early Multilingual Development
Research on early multilingual development is clear and consistent:
- Young children are capable of learning multiple languages simultaneously without confusion3, especially in warm, responsive learning environments. The earlier the better.
- Supporting a child’s home language strengthens family relationships, identity, and cognitive flexibility7.
- Bilingual and dual-language programs support English proficiency and academic success while helping maintain home languages over time2.
Together, family experiences and research challenge the outdated idea that children must “master one language first.” Early multilingual exposure is an asset7 — socially, cognitively, and academically.
Practical Resources for Families in LA County and California
Families looking for support can turn to the following resources:
- First 5 LA – Dual Language Learners Initiative
- Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA)
- LAUSD Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department
- LAUSD Dual Language Education Programs
- Early Edge – Multilingual Toolkit
- California Department of Education — English Learner Support
- California Preschool Instructional Network (CPIN)
- California Dual Language Immersion Program Directory
- Los Angeles Public Library
- California Seal of Biliteracy
Looking Ahead Together
Families in Los Angeles County are clear: they want multilingual education that reflects who their children are and where they come from. They want guidance, partnership, and learning environments that honor every language children bring to the classroom.
Research confirms what families already know—strong early multilingual support benefits children for life. When we listen to families and invest accordingly, we help ensure every child is heard, valued, and empowered in every language they speak.
Footnotes
The Century Foundation. (2024). What Families Want: New Data on Public Demand for Bilingual Education. https://tcf.org/content/report/what-families-want-new-data-on-public-demand-for-bilingual-education/
Castro, D. C., et al. (2025). The Effects of Dual Language Education on Young Bilingual Children’s Development and Learning. Education Sciences, 15(3). https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/3/312
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2024). Embracing Linguistic Diversity to Support Multilingual Learners. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/summer2024/embracing-linguistic-diversity
American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (2017). America’s languages: Investing in language education for the 21st century. https://www.amacad.org/publication/americas-languages
New American Economy Research Fund. (2017). Not lost in translation: The growing importance of foreign language skills in the U.S. job market. https://www.newamericaneconomy.org/research/not-lost-in-translation/
- Author(s). (2024). Enhancing Dual Language Development in Preschool Programs. Early Childhood Education Journal. Springer. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10643-024-01842-2
- U.S. Administration for Children and Families (ACF). (2024). A Systems Framework for Supporting Dual Language Learners in Early Care and Education. https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ecd/DualLanguageLearnerBrief_full-20240523-508.pdf
Place, S., & Hoff, E. (2011). Properties of dual language exposure that influence 2-year-olds’ bilingual proficiency. Child Development, 82(6), 1834–1849. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01660.x