An Analysis of Preschool English as a Foreign Language Instruction in Yerevan: A Survey and Classroom Observation Study

Abstract

As English language instruction at the elementary level in Armenia becomes more widespread and approaches official sanctioning from the Ministry of Education, it is important to know how parents view options for the foreign-language education of their children in kindergartens.The current study examinesthe resultsof the questionnaire administered to parents of local kindergartensin Yerevanandattempts to find out their expectationof proposed early English program in kindergarten settings andalsoaims at investigatingthe teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to young learners. It examines teaching English in Armenian kindergartens, in particular the use ofauthenticmaterialsand how English is taught at this age. The subjects of this investigationwere English language teachers from kindergartensand parents. Thirty kindergartens were randomly selected for this purpose. From the selected kindergartens 6 did not participate in the research of which 2 kindergartens were private and 4 were public. The participants of the survey were 520 parents in total. The data were collected using 5point Likert-scalefor questionnairesand4 point Likert scale forclass observations.According to the results of the questionnaire there ismainly a significant difference in favor of the private kindergartens from which it could be concluded that parents if private kindergartens give more importance to the fact of being informed about the current methods, approaches and the overall English program implemented in the particular kindergarten.The findings from the observations reveal that the English teachers of private kindergartens have an access to new methods and approaches as the lessons are implemented with various authentic materials which encompass teaching songs, poems, and tales. The material and books used by the teachers are mostly publishedby Oxford, Cambridge and Macmillanpublication.