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Article published In: Filling the Void: Young language learners and the intercultural domain
Edited by Sandie Mourão and Raphaelle Beecroft
[Language Teaching for Young Learners 6:2] 2024
► pp. 149–172

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“I want children to see that their languages are respected”

Perspectives on world language learning from pre-primary teachers in the United States

 | Educational Testing Service
 | Educational Testing Service
 | Educational Testing Service
Published online: 19 July 2024
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ltyl.00049.tim
Abstract
Demand for an understanding and appreciation of linguistic and cultural diversity in educational contexts has intensified, given increasing levels of globalization. Moreover, guidelines from educational agencies (e.g., (2015b). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development, A/RES/70/1. [URL]; United States Department of Education (2017, January). Framework for developing global and cultural competencies to advance equity, excellence and economic competitiveness. [URL]) as well as state-level preschool teaching standards call for raising awareness of languages, cultures, and diversity beginning in early childhood. However, limited research in that area suggests most U.S. pre-primary teachers are monolingual English speakers (Espinosa, L., & Crandell, J. (2021, June 22). Chapter 4: Early learning and care for multilingual and dual language learners ages zero to five [Video]. Vimeo.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). Additionally, professional development and instructional programs on language and cultural awareness in pre-primary classrooms are rare (Kearney, E., & Barbour, A. (2015). Embracing, contesting and negotiating new languages: Young children’s early socialization into foreign language learning. Linguistics and Education, 311, 159–173. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). These observations raise the question as to how pre-primary educators promote linguistic and cultural diversity in their classrooms.
This study explores world language learning practices in state-licensed, Northeastern U.S. pre-primary schools. We administered an online survey about world language learning resources, pedagogical approaches, and classroom practices to 138 pre-primary educators and conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with 15 of the teachers. We calculated frequency distributions for survey items to determine consensus or discrepancy among teachers and applied the procedure of initial, axial, and selective coding (Friedman, D. (2012). How to collect and analyze qualitative data. In A. Mackey & S. Gass (Eds.), Research methodologies in second language acquisition (pp. 180–200). Wiley-Blackwell.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar) to open-ended survey responses and interview transcripts to identify trends and refine themes. Findings show that teachers recognized the benefits of building language and cultural awareness. Despite limited time, training, and resources to implement such pedagogy, they included different languages and cultures in instruction. We present their practices, focusing in particular on three distinct approaches, and discuss implications for promoting pre-primary plurilingual and (inter)cultural education.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Additional/world language programs in ECEC and the voices of teachers
    • 2.2Research questions
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Data collection
      • Online survey
      • Semi-structured interviews
    • 3.2Participants
    • 3.3Analyses
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1Survey responses
    • 4.2Semi-structured interviews
      • Approaches to including world languages
      • Perceived challenges to including world languages
  • 5.Discussion
    • Do teachers include WLL in their pre-primary teaching? If so, how?
    • What are perceived challenges teachers face in implementing WLL in their pre-primary classrooms?
  • 6.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
References (35)
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