Texas led the way some years ago by passing legislation that provided preschool
programs for 4-year-old children from minority backgrounds. The
idea behind this legislation was that the younger children are, the faster and
more completely they learn a new language. At age 3 or 4, the children are
in a language-learning mode: They learn whatever language or languages
they hear, as long as the conditions for language learning are present. By the
time they are 5, the reasoning goes, they will be English speakers and they
can get right on with school. This past year, Texas extended the legislation
to cover 3-year-olds.