Language Related Barriers and Teacher-Child Interactions in Preschool

Preschool teachers face various challenges when instructing children. This is because of the differences in language of instruction used by the teacher from that spoken by the children. Language Policy in education demands that preschool children be taught in their mother tongue. This is challenging, particularly when the language of the teacher and that of the preschool children are different. Previous research studies both global and local have majorly concentrated on the importance of using mother tongue as the language of instruction in preschool, but do not identify the challenges faced by pre-school teachers in instructing children from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This study sought to identify the language related barriers in teacher -child interaction in preschools. The objectives of this study were to establish the linguistic diversity among pre-school children entering preschool, to find out language related barriers faced by teachers who teach children who do not speak and comprehend the language the learner is familiar with and to find out language related barriers experienced by the pre-school children who do not speak or comprehend the language of instruction.