engleski

Learning of foreign language in pre-school children: evaluation methods in kindergarten's environment

In this paper we describe how children acquire foreign language. It is well known that the very early age is a most suitable time to start foreign language learning. This is partly because up to the certain age every child learns foreign language as a part of a natural process. For our research we had to study theories of language learning, predominantly nativists’ theory, where Chomsky argues that there is an innate factor, known as Language Acquisition Device, and further development made by Lennenberg, but also empiricists – behaviourists’ theory upholding the element of imitating (Skinner) and cognitivists’ theory that argues that cognition precedes the language development (Bruner, Piaget, Vygotsky, Sapir–Whorf). We are giving an overview of the process and ways of acquiring foreign language we studied the phases of language learning and connections to the brain´s developmental stages. It is established that the most suitable age for starting the learning process should begin at preschool age, when children are mostly intrinsically motivated. For the evaluation of the process we suggested the simple quantitative and qualitative method, suitable for educators and parents and for the scientific purposes there is a micro genetic research method for deeper understanding of the learning process and changes that occur.

foreign language learning ; intrinsic motivation ; micro genetic research ; quantitative and qualitative method

nije evidentirano