| dc.description.abstract | Teachers are the most influential persons for a child for whom teachers create the
social context of learning. Teachers' contribution is part and parcel of children's life.
Teachers provide the scaffolding for social interaction and learning at school; they
foster child's development to ensure its persistence all through life (Riddle, 1999). To
assist children's development, teachers need to have appropriate and adequate skills,
patience and enthusiasm for interacting and dealing with children. Teacher's support
and love can make a huge difference to the life of children (Hanson, 2012). They can
significantly promote and stimulate the development of communication and language
through different activities that help prepare children for interaction with society
(Brock & Rankin, 2008). During the preschool years, language develops far more
rapidly than at any other time. Children use language in different contexts according
to the social and cultural needs.
Children's language ability affects learning and development in all areas of a child's
development, because this developmental domain crosscuts other domains; e.g.
cognitive development, which involves language, imagination, thinking, reasoning,
problem solving, and memory (Becky, 2012).
Teachers in Bangladesh are routinely trained by different private and public
institutions on different dimensions of pedagogy and early childhood development
(Directorate of Primary Education, 2012). Whether this training prepares teachers
adequately with necessary knowledge, skill, positive attitude and resources to
facilitate language and communication development of young children is debatable.
Considering a few unanswered question that arise from the existing situation in
Bangladesh this study attempted to explore the readiness of the preschool teachers for
language and communication development in preschool. The study looks into the components of current practices, perceptions and challenges of preschooI teachers in
teaching language and communication.
In this study preschool teacher readiness has been explored by comparing with a set of
acceptable standard practices constructed from global, regional and national level
practices derived from relevant literature review. Thus, the main purpose of this study
was to explore the readiness of the preschool teachers for language and
communication development of preschool children in terms of standard practices in
this respect.
This study used qualitative approach with an explorative study design in order to
formulate a description of the issue and obtain a picture of the situation. The
population of this study was preschool teachers of Dhaka city. Three government and
three NGO (Non Government Organization) preschool teachers were sampled
purposively as research participants. Two data collection instruments were used; i.e. i)
an in-depth interview (IDI) questionnaire for interviewing teachers and ii) observation
guideline to observe classroom situation. Data were managed in Atlas ti 5.2 and later
analyzed using content analysis method.
Results from the analysis revealed that it is common for all teachers from allthe
preschool classes sampled to exercise listening, speaking, reading and writing
practices through different kinds of play, rhymes, song, storytelling, reading and
writing activities. Among allthese practices, listening and speaking were found to be
consistent with the acceptable standard practices that were listed in this study form
literature review (vide supra). Play was identified as a valuable activity for language
development, because of its multifaceted quality that provides opportunities for
talking, listening, thinking and socializing. However, a minimum level of scaffolding
by the teachers was found during play. With regards to reading and writing practices, teachers considered the scope to be
restricted to learning and practicing alphabet, numbers and words. In general writing
practices fairly matched the standard practices, with the exception of the prewriting
activities, where it was mostly absent in preschools despite its mandatory. Where it
was mostly of the preschools have missed despite the requirement according to the
listed standard practices. Reading practices also do not align well enough due to the
lack ofappropriate and adequate training ofteachers and lack ofappropriate
materials. All the teachers' from non government preschools d reading and talked
about books in the class. At least one of the teachers in the sample of NGO schools
created an opportunity for children to explore books during free play. Contrary to this
situation government preschool teachers are not able to create such opportunities for
the students, because they are not instructed or guided. Although storybook is listed as
a core material in Operational Framework of Pre-Primary Education (Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education, 2008) and is also listed in the acceptable standard
practices they are not able to utilize them properly due to lack of instruction or
guidelines. This operational framework also mentions the illustrated book as
supplementary material which was not found in any of the preschools. lt is however,
is considered a standard practice requirement.
While exploring teachers' perception, this study revealed discouraging impression
about use of storybooks despite its emphasis of practice in the curriculum guideline.
Most teachers assume that preschool children are too young to read storybooks'
However, the common perception about language development of the teachers is that
positive practices are needed for better development of language and communication
within the curriculum they have. Bearing this understanding most of the teachers
stated the need for teaching English and practiced it for preparing the students for next level. Communication with the new students and non-Bengali students in the
beginning ofthe school year, large class size and conducting continuous classes on
every working day were identified as challenges in this study. Teachers, however,
expressed strong confidence about facing these challenges. They mentioned that the
source of their confidence is their experience and training.
This study evidentially documents teachers'practice and perception that are consistent
to some extent with the acceptable standard practices, but in certain other areas
teachers lack skills and resources. The study confirms that language and
communication development of preschool children is highly dependent on teachers'
readiness, which needs to be addressed by the appropriate authorities responsible for
ensuring quality in the young child development agenda.
The recommendations include further study with a larger sample size covering more
diversity; quantitative approach is needed for representation of a larger sample.
For better assessment of the situation, more and repeated class observations are
needed in several contexts. Regarding positive steps to promote language
development of young children, the required actions include: ensuring availability of
storybooks and illustrated books to encourage reading in early years; arrnaging
professional training for the teachers about the use ofthese books; and fostering and
scaffolding play, especially for second language speaking students to engage them
ininteractive activities that offer ample opportunity for language and communication
practice. | en_US |
