Kindergarten Children and Language Learning: Missing Pillars for Language Acquisition

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions of the Kuwaiti kindergarten school teachers and parents as well as the English curriculum in an attempt to identify areas that need to be improved in the kindergarten teachers’ program at the CBE (College of Basic Education). In addition, the paper looks closely into the delivery of information and sequence of interaction in relation to the learning process of English as a foreign language in kindergarten stage in Kuwait. The participants were 12 kindergarten teachers who speak Arabic as their first language and have no experience or knowledge in teaching or speaking the target language, English. The data was collected through the school year 2010/2011 by using observation, interviews and artifacts. The present study implication is that the kindergarten teacher who is teaching the English language without any educational training needs to know English language curriculum, real communication skills and innovation in the classroom, and be competent in teaching English language to kindergarten students.