Guided Drawing With Multilingual Preschoolers: Developing Language, Vocabulary, and Content Knowledge

Drawing provides opportunities for children to communicate their thoughts even when they do not have the vocabulary or the English proficiency to fully explain their ideas. This practical guide presents foundational information on the role of drawing in vocabulary development. The authors describe a research-based intervention designed to support and expand young multilingual learners’ experiences with content area vocabulary. They provide teaching examples from several content area investigations carried out in Head Start contexts serving multilingual students. These vignettes, accompanied by student work samples and excerpts of dialogue, will help early childhood educators effectively integrate this pedagogical approach into their classrooms. The user-friendly text includes curriculum support materials such as lesson-planning templates and lists of recommended children’s literature and media. shows teachers how to use guided drawing in conjunction with established practices to help all young students develop language and content knowledge, particularly in science.