“I speak four languages, how many do you speak?” explores how children at the age of 4 and 5 become bi-literate writers in a trilingual government KG in Abu Dhabi
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Date
2017-11
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
“I speak four languages, how many do you speak?” explores how children at the age of 4 and 5 become bi-literate writers in a trilingual government KG in Abu Dhabi, is a case study that explored how children in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi develop bi-literacy skills in Arabic and English. The study focused on understanding how teachers use different pedagogical approaches in both languages to foster the development of student’s language skills. It also looked at how the classroom environment is used as a resource and as a “third teacher” to support development of language. One central question and two sub-questions governed the study.
Main question:
1. How do Emirate children at the age of four or five develop bi-literate writing skills in Arabic and English?
Sub-questions & rationale:
1.1 What strategies for teaching writing do teachers who are teaching in an Arabic-English bi-literate environment employ to foster positive development of students’ literacy skills in both languages?
1.2 How do teachers use the classroom environment to support students’ development as bi-literate writers?
Description
Keywords
Bilingualism in children., Education, Bilingual., United Arab Emirates (UAE)., classroom environment