Learning English as a foreign language at home: the practices of Taiwanese mothers and their preschoolers

Researchers have indicated that many children from Asian countries have the experience of learning English prior to school at home or at private institutes. The Taiwanese government promotes informal and play-based teaching of English in the home if the parents would like their young children to learn English prior to formal instruction. This study is designed to investigate how Taiwanese mothers attempt to facilitate their children’s English development by exploring how they engage their children in English learning at home. We also investigate whether there is a relationship between maternal educational attainment and maternal teaching practices and the use of resources. The sample consists of 647 mothers of preschoolers who responded to a questionnaire which surveyed their practices and resources utilized at home. The results showed that mothers differed in the extent to which they engaged in shared reading and provided toys and computer media for English instruction, and that maternal education is related to the types of strategies and resources provided. The findings provide significant information about what the mothers utilized to assist their young children to learn English language.