Early Childhood Learning Management Policy on Bilingual Proficiency

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to explore the current state and the desirable state of early childhood learning management policy on bilingual proficiency to identify the policy areas or identifying the problems and the priority needs; 2) to investigate school best practices on bilingual proficiency to identify various alternative policies as well as to assess the alternatives, applies each of the decision criteria to each alternative and considering the benefits and drawbacks of each alternative; and 3) to develop the proposed policy for Early Childhood Learning Management on Bilingual Proficiency by selecting the most appropriate or suitable and feasible or looking at factors that will make the alternative easier to implement and determined to be the “best”. The study was mixed method research and involved a sample population of 346 schools, with 332 school administrator informants, and 305 English teachers. In total, 637 respondents. The research tools used in this study were questionnaire, semi-structured interview, focus group discussion, and in-depth interview. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, PNImodified and content analysis.

The results showed as follows. 1. The current state of Early Childhood Learning Management Policy on Bilingual Proficiency was in the moderate level. The desirable state of Early Childhood Learning Management Policy on Bilingual Proficiency showed that an overall situation of the desirable state was in the high level. The analysis of overall priority needs showed that the learning outcome had the highest PNImodified value; thus, policy area would emphasize on the highest overall priority needs which was the learning outcome of the students 2. The school best practices on bilingual proficiency includes an identified theme as follows: Parental expectations consisted of two categories: 1) School, containing: 1.1) In-class practices; and 1.2) Extra-class activities. 2) Home, containing: 2.1) Extra classes; and 2.2) Supporting resources. Analysis of results—policy areas, problems on bilingual proficiency, priority needed factors, and best practice findings—were considered to identify various alternative policies, evaluating the decision’s effectiveness, then assess those alternatives and considering the benefits and drawbacks of each alternative 3. Early Childhood Learning Management Policy on Bilingual Proficiency contained the following 4 policies: 1) School Learning Management on bilingual listening and speaking; 2) Home Learning Management from bilingual environment; 3) Social Learning Management on bilingual reading from surroundings; and 4) Learning Management on bilingual writing for further education.