What are the teachers' perceptions of implementing the English language curriculum in kindergarten stage?
(2) What are the kindergarten parents' perceptions about the English language curriculum?
5. Kuwaiti Kindergarten curriculu
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.
Keywords: Kindergarten, EFL, Curriculum, Teaching, Kuwait, Training
1. Introduction
Although children develop skills in reading, writing and oral language (listening and speaking) at an early age, oral language must be the foundation of English as a foreign language (EFL) in the kindergarten learning program. That is being said, a child whose first language is not English would have difficulties to understand, and in return it would have disadvantages on the child. This is true with the case of Kuwaiti kindergarten public schools. While it takes time and conversation-rich environments to learn a new language, learning the new language is very much like learning a first language (Samway & McKeon, 1999). To learn a new language, there must be opportunities to communicate about real things and events. Children need places inside and outside the classroom to practice their new language where errors are accepted and recognized as part of the process of acquiring English. These kindergarten children need certain conditions which are determined with respect to the building and curricula as well as the teaching methods. Therefore, there is no more any traditional method suitable for the children, and neither is there any traditional teacher fit to teach them; specific qualifications have been agreed on internationally. The teacher should be qualified academically in order to meet the children’s wishes and needs; she should be endowed with a positive personality in dealing with them. Thus, she would be able to develop and advance the standard of the children’s capabilities and creativity; she would also attain a higher standard in their knowledge acquisition and build harmonious characters endowed with a high self- concept.
2. The Problem
From 2009 on, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Education (MOE) has introduced English as a compulsory subject in the public kindergarten school curriculum. The decision to teach English in kindergarten schools was taken without any prior field study into the positive or negative effects that might result. An example of the haste with which it was implemented was the use of the English textbook designed and directed by the Ministry of Education-Curricula Development Department without any revision implemented on the content of the book. The assigned text book for kindergarten level and the associated English curriculum are based on two language methodologies, the Total Physical Response method and the communicative approach. Thus, they introduced kindergarten children to a method in which they memorize vocabulary, practice them orally, and then use them in some writing exercises and