ABSTRACT

This systematic review investigates the effects of foreign language programmes in early childhood education and care (ECEC), which are increasingly popular. Foreign language ECEC centres familiarise very young children with a foreign language, and in general also expose them to the majority language. This review synthesises research on the effects of foreign language ECEC on children’s development of the foreign language, majority language, first language, and wellbeing, as well as programme-related and child-related factors that influence language development and wellbeing. The reviewed studies indicate that foreign language ECEC fosters foreign language development, without negatively impacting the majority and first language. Children can experience positive wellbeing in these programmes, but only if programmes are play-based and if the language policy is not too strict. Some studies report that programme characteristics, such as input quantity, language policy, and teacher strategies, modulate the effects of foreign language ECEC on language development and wellbeing. Few of the reviewed studies examined child characteristics, but the available findings indicate that children’s age, as well as their temperament and in-class behaviour, are related to foreign language learning. However, these findings need to be interpreted with caution, because research into foreign language ECEC is still in its infancy.

摘要

本系统评价调查了外语课程在越来越受欢迎的幼儿教育和护理 (ECEC) 中的影响。外语 ECEC 中心让非常年幼的孩子熟悉一门外语，并且通常也让他们接触主流语言。本综述综合了关于外语 ECEC 对儿童外语、主要语言、第一语言和幸福感发展的影响，以及影响语言发展和幸福感的计划相关和儿童相关因素的研究。审查的研究表明，外语 ECEC 促进外语发展，而不会对大多数语言和第一语言产生负面影响。孩子们可以在这些项目中体验积极的幸福感，但前提是节目是基于游戏的，并且语言政策不是太严格。一些研究报告说，诸如输入数量、语言政策和教师策略等项目特征会调节外语 ECEC 对语言发展和幸福感的影响。很少有审查的研究检查儿童特征，但现有研究结果表明，儿童的年龄，以及他们的气质和课堂行为，与外语学习有关。然而，这些发现需要谨慎解释，因为对外语 ECEC 的研究仍处于起步阶段。很少有审查的研究检查儿童特征，但现有研究结果表明，儿童的年龄，以及他们的气质和课堂行为，与外语学习有关。然而，这些发现需要谨慎解释，因为对外语 ECEC 的研究仍处于起步阶段。很少有审查的研究检查儿童特征，但现有研究结果表明，儿童的年龄，以及他们的气质和课堂行为，与外语学习有关。然而，这些发现需要谨慎解释，因为对外语 ECEC 的研究仍处于起步阶段。