Learning a new language and culture may be particularly difficult for families in the United States supported by migrant workers, who typically work long hours and live a mobile lifestyle. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the interaction patterns (i.e. use of the Spanish and English languages) among native-Spanish-speaking children at a migrant daycare. Twenty-five children (aged two to nine) were observed during various activities across two periods. Interactional patterns were examined among children, employees and children, and parents and children. The essence of interactional patterns found included: (1) information, (2) collective language knowledge, and (3) learning. The children’s use of the English or Spanish language stemmed from their interlocutor and conversational goals. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Migrant Children second-language acquisition daycare

male female phenomenology Learning employee clinical article Spanish (language) speech day care human migrant Child