The Impact of Exploratory French Instruction on Child and Family Attitudes and Aptitudes for Learning World Languages in Preschool

Autor/inn/en	Javorsky, Kristin H.; Moser, Kelly M.
Titel	The Impact of Exploratory French Instruction on Child and Family Attitudes and Aptitudes for Learning World Languages in Preschool
Quelle	In: Early Childhood Education Journal, 49 (2021) 4, S.739-750 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Javorsky, Kristin H.) ORCID (Moser, Kelly M.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1082-3301
DOI	10.1007/s10643-020-01084-y
Schlagwörter	French; Second Language Learning; Language Aptitude; Preschool Education; Preschool Children; Learner Engagement; Correlation; Educational Cooperation; Specialists; Family School Relationship; Family Attitudes + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Französisch; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Sprachbegabung; Spracheignung; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschule; Korrelation; Education; cooperation; Kooperation
Abstract	While the demographic diversity of children served in early childhood classrooms continues to grow, world language learning opportunities for English-speaking preschoolers remain a rarity. Efforts to teach world languages in addition to English at the preschool level may be hampered by limited early childhood educator expertise, lack of programmatic fit, and uncertain expectations from participating families. This study used a foreign language exploratory (FLEX) program design for French language learning to examine whether these barriers could be overcome through a collaborative partnership between a world languages specialist, the classroom teacher, and the children's families. The 10-week study involved twelve 3-year-old children from varied home language backgrounds attending an English-only preschool. Results showed that following the world language specialist's weekly classroom visits, all participating children demonstrated some level of French language learning, and that learner engagement as a variable was strongly correlated with the child's ability to acquire French, rather than variables of age, gender, or language used at home. Furthermore, while statistically significant differences in language learning beliefs existed between families who did and did not speak a language other than English at home prior to the study, no significant belief differences between these families were found following participation in the French program. Based on the results of this programmatic effort, the authors posit that a language ladder of supports wherein the childcare center and families form parallel sides of ongoing support while the WL specialist provides the rungs that unite both sides, may be a useful model of collaboration. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01