Preschool teachers' attitudes to foreign language learning in kindergarten

Abstract

The theoretical part presents the general theories of learning and language acquisition, based on different emphasis. None of these theories covers all aspects that affect the acquisition of mother tongue and foreign language learning, but together they can contribute to a greater understanding of language learning. Promoting multilingualism is one of the objectives that can be found in the documents of the European Union, which is why language policy in each country strives to follow this objective with the aim of expansion and early learning of one or more foreign languages at primary or pre-school level of education. Overview of learning of additional languages in the childhood around the world can help us establish objectives and a program that will encourage and ensure the continuity of learning foreign languages from an early age. In formulating the objectives, the child's basis for the acquisition of language should be considered, based primarily on the basics of child development and its predisposition for language learning. In Slovenia a foreign language is not part of the curriculum for kindergartens, so learning a foreign language takes different forms, which does not provide continuity of learning a foreign language. Systemic deregulation at this stage contributes to unequal availability of early foreign language learning, and thus affects further education. Overview of reasons for early learning and the benefits of foreign language learning at this stage give the answer, why seek to lower the age for learning languages. In the continuation we can read what factors affect the early learning of a foreign language, especially highlighted are the competencies and professional development of preschool teacher, which contribute to the success of early foreign language learning. In the empirical part the results of the research show a positive attitude of the surveyed preschool teachers towards learning a foreign language in kindergarten. Preschool teachers who were included in the study, largely indicate agreement with the introduction of a foreign language in kindergarten, and consider it should be taught in kindergarten by a teacher of pre-school children with a finished program for the training of early foreign language teaching. The findings show that a part of preschool teachers is in favour of the implementation of a foreign language in kindergarten, however, the unwillingness of the implementation of a foreign language in kindergarten can be assumed to arise from a lack of competence of preschool teachers to teach a foreign language. Willingness to undertake training in the field of early foreign language learning in the surveyed preschool teachers is great, but under certain conditions, such as free training or education organized by kindergarten. The information obtained may affect the awareness of preschool teachers about the importance of professional development and on foreign language teaching in kindergarten, and can generally help in designing training programs for preschool teachers in the field of foreign language learning