English for Young Learners (EYL) Policy and Practice in ASEAN Countries

B Yuniar Diyanti,Suwarsih Madya

doi:10.26858/ijole.v5i3.16382

B Yuniar Diyanti, Suwarsih Madya

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v5i3.16382

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Abstract

This article compares and discusses the current state of teaching English to young learners (EYL) in ASEAN country members. It pictures the policy and practice of EYL in which English is adopted as either a first, second, or foreign language. The discussion on each country begins with a brief historical and political review that helped shape the country’s policy on foreign language education. It then moves to the status of English in the polity then to EYL policy and practice of each country and follows next the challenges each country experiences regarding EYL. The final part of the article discusses the implication related to what needs to be done to address these challenges. Keywords: EYL policy and practice, English in ASEAN

Highlights

The teaching of English to young learners has been a global phenomenon for the last twenty years (Rich, 2014)
English for Young Learners (EYL) policy in Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries cover at least three major areas related to the lowering of age of starting to learn English, changing the status of English as compulsory subject in the primary curriculum, and using English as language of instruction in other subjects
English is taught in Primary School as a subject in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and The Philippines

Summary

Introduction

The teaching of English to young learners (hencefort EYL) has been a global phenomenon for the last twenty years (Rich, 2014). Johnstone (2009) has called EYL as the world’s largest educational policy development that has major impacts on educational practice. A survey by British Council in 2013 revealed that more than 60 countries worldwide currently have policy on the introduction of English to either elementary schools curriculum or even to kindergarten (Rixon, 2013). The country members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) have acknowledged the inevitable influence and benefits of English in the Southeast Asian region. Introduction of English in primary education or even lower has become a common practice. National policy for lowering the age of starting to learn English is sometimes politically driven as English is seen as a basic skill that all citizens need to obtain (Enever & Moon, 2009)

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