Educating For Diversity in Pre-Primary Education:

Possibilities of the Awakening to Languages Approach

Mnica Loureno (monicalourenco@ua.pt) Departament of Education, University of Aveiro (Portugal) Aims Results

Background
Awakening to languages (AL), a didactic approach rooted in the language awareness movement1 and focused on promoting contact with linguistic diversity from a very young age, has been successfully implemented in European schools in the past two decades.2 Nonetheless, studies concerned with the development of metalinguistic skills in pre-primary education are still scarce.
1 Hawkins,

Methodology

Implications
Language learning Findings suggest that early contact with linguistic diversity may play an important role in the development of metalinguistic skills conducive to literacy and language learning. Teacher education
(t (40) = 2.50, p = .008, Cohens d = .79)

My study aims at evaluating and understanding the benefits of the AL approach in the development of young childrens phonological awareness, i.e., the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds of languages (syllables, phonemes).

Participants in the study consisted of 21 Portuguese preschool children, aged 3 to 6.

(t (40) = .16, p = .437, Cohens d =.05)

Data was collected and analysed using mixed methods approach.

Phonological awareness tests (Pre-Test) Statistical analysis of quantitative data

Seven AL sessions (Intervention) Content analysis of video transcriptions

Phonological awareness tests (Post-Test) Statistical analysis of quantitative data

Empirical research design

Teacher: Kharteet means rhino in Kunama. If I take the first syllable out, what do I get? Children: Teet. Francis : And if I take the first bit out of kharteet and the second bit out of nanuk, what do I get? Children [laughing]: Kharnuk.

Preschool teachers should be educated not to regard diversity as a deficit, but as a learning opportunity for ALL children.

2 Candelier,

E. (1987). Awareness of Language: An Introduction (revised edition). Cambridge: CUP. M., et al. (2004). Janua Linguarum The Introduction of Language Awareness in the Curriculum: Awakening of Languages. Strasbourg: European Centre for Modern Languages, Council of Europe.