Parent programs for latino families with young children: social, cultural, and linguistic considerations

It is likely that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will be called upon to serve the growing numbers of children under age 5 from Latino families. Families are considered central to implementing language facilitation strategies at this age. These strategies must be both culturally informed and also focus on naturally occurring experiences in children's homes. However, few existing early intervention programs are specific to the cultural values and language learning experiences of young Latino children. This article reviews the current knowledge base on the early language learning experiences of these children and provides SLPs implementing family programs with suggestions on adapting family-centered language facilitation techniques to this population.