The implementation of foreign languages in preschool education has
prompted the need for qualified teachers. However, most recent studies
report a gap between the supply of qualified foreign language teachers of
young learners and the demand for such teachers as foreign languages
are introduced earlier and earlier. The authors of this paper present some
models of initial and in-service training of preschool foreign language
teachers in Slovenia. As learners’ beliefs about language learning have
been considered an important variable, like many other individual differences
in language learning, the main aim of the research was to determine
pre-service preschool teachers’ beliefs about early foreign language
learning. The research was conducted on a sample of 90 pre-service
preschool teachers. The results imply that future preschool teachers are
aware of the importance of foreign language learning and their awareness
raises with the year of study. The results of the survey indicate that
it would be beneficial to include early foreign language teacher training
in the education of preschool teachers who are willing to teach foreign
languages in kindergartens in Slovenia and elsewhere.
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