DOUBLE TAP TO ZOOM WITH PHONE OR TABLET INTRODUCTION   5 children who are learning a home language(s) different from the language they are learning to use at school. Some teachers are confused about how to foster the com- munication skills of children who are CALD and so they are seeking conversation approaches and materials to help teach children from these diverse language and ethnic backgrounds. If that’s you, the Conversation Compass approach can be a good place to start! Our country is becoming more ethnically and linguistically diverse. Now is an especially critical time for teachers to learn about fostering strong language-learning environments for ethnic and language minority children. In fact, the upcoming generations of young children will be more ethnically diverse than any prior gen- eration. Teachers have to learn how to bridge the home-to-school connection so that all families and children feel welcomed into ECE classrooms. The good news is that research shows that teachers who get instructional les- son-planning tools and professional development can strengthen their classroom (Pence, Justice, and Wiggins 2008)! Education interventions show that when you enhance the quality of your conversations, children’s oral language and liter- acy skills improve (Cabell et al. 2011; Piasta et al. 2012). You might be reading this book because, like me, you also believe in the power that teachers have to improve the language environment of their classrooms. Together, we can embark on the journey of learning how to create better classroom conversations with your students. Let the journey begin! COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL