Negotiating social interactions in an American early educationclassroom: the case of a bicultural and bilingual toddler

Cultural contexts shape the identities of young bicultural and bilingual children. In thisstudy, I looked at the development of a bicultural and bilingual 2-year-olds social interactions in an American educational setting using a sociocultural framework. Social interactions and the culture of the classroom were assessed through participant observations, teacher interviews, and parent questionnaires. Other supplemental data gathering techniques were implemented to further explore the world of this specific child. The results of this study give teachers insight into how the cultural practices in early education classrooms affect the identities that this bicultural and bilingual child performs in specific environmental contexts.