“I'm a Kid Citizen of Two Countries”: A Case Study of Bilingual Kindergarteners’ Discussions about Dual Citizenships

Despite the increasing emphasis on social studies in Early Childhood Education, there has been a serious paucity of empirical studies on how culturally and linguistically diverse children develop their emergent understanding on their identities and citizenships in different racial and cultural surroundings. The main purpose of this article is to explore the intersections of bilingualism, early literacy practices, and social studies education by examining bilingual children's conversations about dual citizenships and ethnic identities during read-aloud sessions. The data were collected by video/audio recordings, open-ended interviews, and children's artifacts over a period of four months. The findings suggest the potential of bilingual discussions about dual citizenship as a means to help young bilinguals develop their emergent understandings of their rights and responsibilities as young dual citizens.