Foreign Language Teaching in Early Childhood Education: Attitudes and Beliefs of Pre-service Teachers

This study examines changes in attitudes towards foreign language teaching and beliefs about foreign language education among pre-service preschool teachers from multiple perspectives. The research was conducted within the framework of a training program organized under the TÜBİTAK 2237-A Scientific Education Activities Support initiative, which aimed to enhance the foreign language skills of pre-service preschool teachers. The participants underwent a 40-hour training program comprising both theoretical and practical components. The research sample consisted of 18 pre-service preschool teachers enrolled in various universities across Turkey. A sequential transformational research design, a mixed-method approach, was employed, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data sources. The collected data were analyzed using comparative tests and inductive thematic analysis. The findings reveal shifts in attitudes towards foreign language teaching in preschool education, along with insights into the adequacy of foreign language training at universities, the teaching responsibilities associated with foreign language instruction in preschools, the necessity of introducing foreign languages at the preschool level, concerns regarding potential negative effects of early foreign language learning, and the school preferences of pre-service preschool teachers. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers, educators, and future research.