Preschool teachers' use of English as a medium of instruction: A systematic review of barriers and strategies

Pauline Swee Choo Goh, Chee Luen Loy, Norwaliza Abdul Wahab and Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia

Factors which are barriers to preschool teachers' use of English as the medium of instruction and facilitating strategies used to overcome those barriers can be complex. This study investigated those barriers and facilitating strategies through a systematic review using various databases, which resulted in 20 studies being identified. From these studies, barriers and facilitating strategies were found and arranged in two main categories: (1) barriers to, and facilitating strategies of, preschool teachers' use of English during instruction as it relates to the teachers themselves, and (2) barriers to, and facilitating strategies of, preschool teachers' use of English during instruction as it relates to the learning environment. The results provided an overview and a lead into a better understanding of issues faced by preschool teachers in their use of English to teach, whilst also identifying positive strategies to assist them during their instructional tasks. The factors and strategies identified are important as a guide for preschool policy makers towards future planning of practices and further research.
[ PDF full text for this article ]

Authors: Pauline Swee Choo Goh (corresponding author) is an Associate Professor at the Sultan Idris Education University (Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris), Malaysia, and has taught in the tertiary sector for more than fifteen years. Her publications, research interests and expertise are focused on developing and improving both pre-service and beginning teachers' knowledge, skills and practice. Email: goh.sc@fpm.upsi.edu.my Orcid ID: 0000-0001-7994-3164 Chee Luen Loy is Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at the Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia. His areas of expertise include puppetry, drama in education and children's theatre. Email: loy.cl@fpm.upsi.edu.my Norwaliza Abdul Wahab is a senior lecturer at the Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia. Her primary research interests focus on alternative ways of teaching and learning that promote the authority of indigenous learners. Email: norwaliza@fpm.upsi.edu.my Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun is an Associate Professor at the Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia. Her research interests are in the areas of ESL teacher education, innovative and transformative pedagogy and classroom discourse. Email: nor.safinas@fbk.upsi.edu.my Please cite as: Goh, P. S. C., Loy, C. L., Wahab, N. A. & Raja Nor Safinas, R. H. (2020). Preschool teachers' use of English as a medium of instruction: A systematic review of barriers and strategies. Issues in Educational Research, 30(3), 943-964. http://www.iier.org.au/iier30/goh.pdf