With British Columbia welcoming thousands of newcomers with young families each year, we understand that many young children are learning English as their second language.
While they fluently speak their home language with family, they may not be exposed to English on a regular basis. For school-aged children, they will be provided with an English language learning portion if they were not born in Canada or if they do not speak English at home.
For children between the ages of 2.5 to 5 years old, early learning programs offer a great opportunity for children to socialize with English speaking peers and adults, and begin learning the language before starting kindergarten. They can get a head start on developing their skills through social interactions and daily play.
Before children begin to learn to speak English, they can develop foundational skills through knowledge of the alphabet as well as print and phonics. In early learning programs, they are exposed to written English words in books, signs around the room, and even in their daily play activities. This helps them learn about the letters of the English alphabet which will set them up for early reading skills when they begin school.
Songs and rhymes are a huge part of the early learning curriculum and can help support children who are beginning to learn English. They will learn to recognize the sounds of each letter and words as well as learn about rhymes and syllables. Repetition of common songs and rhymes strengthens their understanding of how sounds are matched together to represent the letters.
Storytelling, whether with a book, felt story, props or even just within imaginary play, is a great format for young children to learn English. Educators can provide a picture, prop, or object along with new English words, giving children connection between the object and the word.
Pretend play is created by children’s vast imaginations and can include kids of all ages and developmental levels. Children with different interests, skills and abilities work together in a collaborative effort to create a story and play it out. While communication is a big part of their play, young children are adept at working around a challenge such as speaking different languages. Through these social interactions, children learning English will not only learn words, but also gain knowledge of tone of voice, body language and expression which may be greatly different from their home language.
Early Learning programs are an inclusive space for children with different backgrounds, skill levels, and abilities. Early childhood educators provide a supportive environment for children learning English by promoting early literacy skills through social experiences and play opportunities.
