Abstract
<p style="text-align:justify">Through an exploration of language practices in an early years setting, this paper aims to examine discourses about transforming monolingual practice generated during an internally driven action research. Based on a small private nursery in an affluent part of London, this action research was conducted with the intention of reviewing internal practices that support young children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). Parents and practitioners took part in an initial questionnaire (n=21). This was followed by semi-structured interviews (n=3) and a focus group (n=5) with practitioners. The data was analysed considering some of the theoretical points proposed by Bourdieu and the discourse analysis tools suggested by van Leeuwen. Despite the recognition of potential barriers, encouraging positive dispositions towards language diversity were identified. The most significant feature of our examination was the value of local knowledge and the diverse language repertoires encountered in the setting. Our analysis evidence that action research can empower practitioners to challenge monolingual mindsets and to move towards an exploration of alternative (plurilingual) ideas, despite the monolingual ethos imposed by the curriculum and other external regulatory forces.</p>
Highlights
Within discourses of neoliberal education, early years practices have been forced to reduce, for example, the hours allocated to free-flow play in order to give room to school readiness with a stricter assessment framework
Through an exploration of language practices in an early years setting, this paper aims to examine discourses about transforming monolingual practice generated during an internally driven action research
The analysis of what was said about supporting young English as an additional language (EAL) children and about what could be done to improve this practice helped us to understand the dynamics of the language practice in the nursery
Summary
An illustrative example of this has been noted with Roberts-Holmes’ (2015) term “the datafication of early years”, which captures the pedagogical tensions that early years practitioners face when assessment is used to produce “good results” in order to continue competing in the educational market Within this context, in our professional engagement with early years practice in England we have annoyingly found ourselves disempowered by the regulatory system, one of its limitations, in our eyes, being the lack of recognition of home languages in the early years curriculum (Rojas-Bustos, 2020). This substantial contradiction goes even further, as home languages have been constructed as “a problem” (Fernald & Weisleder, 2015; Safford & Drury, 2012) and language provision as “in crisis” (McLeod, 2011; Rojas-Bustos, 2018)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
