A Study on the Development of a Life-Focused Foreign Language Acquisition Scale for Preschool Children: English Sample

Abstract

Designing scales for preschool children in order to promote their foreign language acquisition is a complex struggle that likely involves efforts at many stages within the process of early childhood education. There is a wide range of options currently being considered for how to best measure children’s foreign language learning. The use of scientifically validated language scale is regarded as an important method. Despite a large body of evidence in terms of reliable indicators of foreign language acquisition in preschool children, there has not been a standardized, quick, easy, functional and life-based scale measurement. The purpose of the present study was to develop a valid and reliable "Life-Focused Foreign Language Acquisition Scale" (LFFLAS) for the evaluation of foreign language proficiency of preschool children who are 50-74 months-old. The study was conducted in the general survey model. 120 children from private kindergartens affiliated with the Konya National Education Directorate participated in the study. Findings related to the construct validity of the scale were obtained by factor analysis method. Based on Tetrachoric Factor Analysis, 4 sub-dimensions were found. Findings related to the reliability of the scale were obtained with the KR 20 (internal consistency) and score invariance techniques. The findings of the study revealed that the reliability coefficients related to internal consistency and score invariance of sub-scales related to LFFLAS were sufficient and the scale is valid and reliable in measuring preschool children’s foreign language acquisition. There were significant differences in the sub-scales of the scale depending on gender and age variables. 

Keywords

• Preschool,Foreign Language Acquisition,Scale,English

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