Bilingual children with SLI attending language units: getting the bigger picture

Bilingual children with speech and language difficulties are an under-researched group. The present paper intends to map out the field and contextualize findings from four years of research into a group of bilingual children attending primary age language units across England. Differences between the bilingual group and their monolingual peers are summarized, and underlying themes and issues in the research are explored. These include the identification and assessment of bilingual children with specific language impairments (SLI), parental involvement in the educational process, knowledge, attitudes and awareness of teaching staff and availability of provision in schools for bilingual children.