Naslov
From Preprimary to Primary Learning of English as a Foreign Language: Coherence and Continuity Issues

Autori
Mihaljević Djigunović, Jelena ; Letica Krevelj, Stela

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
Handbook of Early Language Education

Urednik/ci
Schwartz, Mila

Izdavač
Springer

Grad
Cham

Godina
2021

Raspon stranica
1-28

ISBN
978-3-030-47073-9

ISSN
2197-1951

Ključne riječi
Transition Coherence Continuity Young EFL learners Parents Teachers

Sažetak
The chapter focuses on transition between the preprimary to primary level of English as a foreign language (EFL) education with coherence and continuity as key factors. Although the focus is on EFL, most issues discussed pertain to other foreign languages (FL) taught at the two educational levels as they have to follow the same guidelines laid out in European documents on FL teaching. Coherence is discussed in terms of structural integration, consistency in learning conditions, parents- educationalists relationship, conceptual integration of curricula, and consistency in pedagogical approaches to EFL teaching in the preprimary and primary classrooms. Continuity is considered as the guarantee that young learners can continue learning the FL they started at the preprimary level. Insights into transition processes are described from the perspective of the following key domains: policy, curriculum and school, classroom, FL teacher, parents, and young learners. Since research focusing specifically on the preprimary to primary transition in EFL education is scarce, major contributions discussed in the chapter rely on relevant studies on transition points in general education and those on transition from the primary to secondary level in FL education. The critical issues that are made particularly salient include: (1) the need for policy makers to be attuned to research-based data and to provide support in creating necessary conditions for a smooth transition, (2) the need for the vertical articulation of the two curricula, (3) the need for the additional insights into the roles of parents and teachers during transition, (4) the need to study young learners’ characteristics such as resilience and motivation for FL learning which may be particularly important during the transition. The proposed research framework at the end of the chapter suggests including numerous variables in order to capture the complexity of the transition process.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Filologija

POVEZANOST RADA