EFL acquisition - a comparison of a Croatian and a Danish international preschool

master's thesis

• Author: Marta Samodol
• Mentor: Alenka Mikulec (mentor)
• Committee member: Silvija Hanžić Deda (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Tea Gavrilović Smolić (član povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Alenka Mikulec (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Teacher Education; Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2024-09-20, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies; Teaching Methods in the Humanistic Sciences
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

In today's world, because of its widespread use across the globe, knowing English has become almost a necessity, which is why many parents want their children to learn English from an early age. Young children are considered to have natural predispositions for acquiring languages, which is why early childhood and preschool period is seen as an optimal period for the introduction of an additional language. Because of children’s age, special attention needs to be paid to the teaching activities. Play-based learning, which incorporates activities like singing, playing games, and storytelling has proven effective in making language acquisition enjoyable and meaningful (Hyliarska & Mynenko, 2024). In addition, because of their specific educational context, international preschools are increasingly gaining in popularity and setting higher standards for best practices in education (Schmidt & Chuang, 2014).
The research presented in this thesis aimed to provide insight into early childhood and preschool-aged children’s English language acquisition and their use of English in two international kindergartens - one in Zagreb and one in Copenhagen. The research involved a sample of 26 children, aged three to seven, and five teachers. The initial data set consisted of recordings and field notes documenting everyday activities taking place in the two international kindergartens. The focus was mainly on the activities used by teachers to foster language acquisition and on children’s language output. Children's communication in English with their teachers and peers, as well as the activities in which they participated were observed and analysed. In the second phase of the study, the children and the teachers were interviewed, and their responses were summarised and presented in this thesis. The obtained data were analysed qualitatively.

Abstract (croatian)

U današnje vrijeme, zbog značajne upotrebe engleskoga jezika diljem svijeta, njegovo je poznavanje postalo gotovo nužnost i sve više roditelja želi da njihova djeca nauče engleski jezik od rane dobi. Smatra se da djeca imaju prirodne predispozicije za usvajanje jezika, zbog čega se rano i predškolsko razdoblje smatraju optimalnima za uvođenje dodatnoga jezika. Zbog dobi djece, posebnu pažnju treba posvetiti nastavnim aktivnostima. Učenje temeljeno na igri, koje uključuje aktivnosti poput pjevanja, igranja igara i pričanja priča, pokazalo se učinkovitim u tome da proces učenja jezika učine ugodnim i smislenim (Hyliarska i Mynenko, 2024). Osim toga, zbog specifičnog obrazovnog konteksta, međunarodni vrtići sve više dobivaju na popularnosti i postavljaju više standarde za najbolje prakse u obrazovanju (Schmidt i Chuang, 2014).
Istraživanje predstavljeno u ovom radu imalo je za cilj pružiti uvid u usvajanje engleskoga jezika kod djece rane i predškolske dobi te njihovu upotrebu engleskoga jezika u dva međunarodna vrtića - jedan u Zagrebu i jedan u Kopenhagenu. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 26 djece, u dobi od tri do sedam godina, i pet odgojitelja. Podatci u istraživanju sastojali su se od snimaka i terenskih bilješki kojima su dokumentirane svakodnevne aktivnosti koje su se odvijale u dvama međunarodnim vrtićima. Naglasak je bio prvenstveno na aktivnostima koje odgojitelji koriste za poticanje usvajanja jezika i na dječjoj jezičnoj produkciji. Promatrana je analizirana komunikacija djece na engleskom jeziku s njihovim odgojiteljima i vršnjacima, kao i aktivnosti u kojima su sudjelovali. U drugoj fazi istraživanja djeca i odgojitelji su intervjuirani, a njihovi su odgovori sažeti i analizirani. Dobiveni podaci analizirani su kvalitativno.

• Keywords: EFL acquisition; pre-primary; vocabulary development; teaching activities
• Keywords (croatian): usvajanje engleskoga jezika; predškolski odgoji i obrazovanje; razvoj rječnika; aktivnosti za usvajanje jezika
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:147:155945
• Study programme: Title: Graduate University Study of Early and Preschool Education; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra ranog i predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja (magistar/magistra ranog i predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2025-04-10 14:04:25