Perceptions of early childhood educators on the effectiveness of language stimulation strategies for preschoolers

Abstract

This study explores how early childhood educators (ECEs) perceive language stimulation strategies (LSS) and professional development (PD) programs in French-language preschool settings in Northern Ontario. In minority Francophone communities, many children start daycare with limited French exposure, posing distinct challenges for language learning. This research is part of a broader action research project that looked into children’s language exposure patterns and introduced targeted interventions. Nineteen ECEs from five early childhood centres in Sudbury, Ontario, participated in semi-structured interviews about their experiences with LSS and PD. These interviews were conducted via Zoom, transcribed, and analyzed with IRaMuTeQ software to identify common words, thematic groupings, and trends across different sites. Findings indicate that ECEs emphasise the importance of high-quality adult-child interactions, including getting down to the child’s level, repetition, translation, and activities aligned with children’s interests. Songs were also noted as particularly effective for fostering engagement and language development. However, some strategies, especially verbalization, were difficult to understand and implement. Theoretical PD content was seen as less accessible than hands-on training, underscoring the value of experiential learning. Educators highlighted the usefulness of resources provided by the Carrefour francophone de Sudbury, such as books and songs, although several expressed a desire for more detailed examples and materials. While ECEs observed positive changes in children’s vocabulary and confidence, the study design limited the ability to link these outcomes to the intervention directly. The findings emphasize the importance of context-specific PD programs and increased parental involvement to support French language acquisition in minority settings better.