Knowledge of English as a foreign language has become an increasingly valuable competence,
since English functions not only as a global language but also as one of the means through
which children engage with the wider environment. Consequently, the early learning of English
as a foreign language is being introduced with growing frequency in the preschool period,
where a picture book represents one of the most effective teaching resources.
The purpose of the bachelor's thesis is to investigate the importance of picture books as a
teaching tool for early learning of English as a foreign language in preschool education.
Furthermore, the thesis explores preschool teachers' experiences regarding the use of picture
books. In addition, the study's goal is to encourage future educators to incorporate picture books
in their professional practice. The following research was conducted using quantitative and
descriptive methods. A semi-open and open-ended questionnaire served as the measuring
instrument. The anonymous survey was carried out in five preschools located in medium-sized
and small towns in eastern and central Slovenia. Fifty preschool teachers participated: five
conduct additional afternoon English classes, twenty-three integrate English into their daily
work, while twenty-two have no direct experience with English teaching. Of the twenty-eight
teachers who teach English, eighteen (64.29%) reported using picture books in the majority of
their lessons.
The findings indicate that preschool teachers make effective use of the opportunities offered,
although they may frequently be required to obtain the materials themselves. As a result, young
learners do not always have access to these books. While the use of picture books is undoubtedly
a frequent and popular practice in the early learning of English as a foreign language, teachers
face a number of obstacles. In the future, the challenges of implementing picture books should
be addressed in order to reduce barriers and to further encourage preschool teachers in
employing this resource.
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