An Investigation of how to support oral language development and emergent literacy skills of preschool children coming from a diverse linguistic and cultural background

Abstract

Research has shown that Ireland has traditionally had an extended history of emigration , however, recent immigration moves have been changing the country’s population scenario. A lack of research was identified in the literature regarding the second generation of immigrants growing up in Ireland. This thesis dissertation investigates how to support the development of oral language and emergent literacy skills of preschool children coming from a diverse linguistic and cultural background. The pedagogical strategies and educational tools utilized by EY educators and early intervention specialists are explored along with the role of home languages and family participation in enhancing multilingual language development in the early years of life. The six themes that emerged from the SLR (teachers’ training, book reading, use of technology, language awareness, use of home language and family participation) are correlated to the findings extracted from policies, curriculum frameworks, reports and guidelines on multilingualism, early intervention and diversity in EY education in Ireland, in comparison to Australia and The United Kingdom. The orientation frame (Hyatt, 2005) that guided the work of the three guidelines analysed in this thesis dissertation, was fully based on the concepts of family participation and effective parents and community engagement. The analysis of these results and the correlation with grey literature were conducted through the theoretical lens presented in the literature review section. The indication of contradictions between previous literature and the findings of this thesis dissertation show a need to diminish the gap between policy, guidelines, curriculum and government initiatives to the practical day to day reality encountered by educators, children and families attending cultural and linguistic diverse preschool settings. This thesis dissertation presents a conclusion with implications and recommendations for practice, policy and research. Overall the findings presented in this research are in line with results reported previously in peer-reviewed papers with regards to a paradigm shift from a deficit-orientated to a resource-orientated viewpoint on multilingualism.