Perceptions and practices of early childhood English education from the perspective of micro language policy and planning

This study addressed two research questions related to the perceptions and practice of early childhood English education at home among mothers aged 20–35 years who had experienced the 7th curriculum and were raising children younger than six years. A survey of 127 people was conducted, followed by five interviews with four selected participants. The mothers hoped that their infant children would be exposed to English early in life and thus would naturally acquire the language; this hope was related to the mothers’ difficulty in speaking English, despite having received education in English for many years. In terms of practice, 80 of the 127 participants (63%) had provided English education to their children. The mothers had used various types of educational media, including television or radio, textbooks, teaching aids, fairy tales, video media, and workbooks; they had also used song and hand play to expose their children to English in a way that accounted for children’s short attention spans. However, due to a lack of confidence in their English skills, the mothers also appeared to rely on early childhood educational institutions or private education. This study emphasizes the role of macro language policy and planning in line with micro language policy and planning for English education in early childhood.