Children’s Oral Language and Literacy Skills: An Ethnographic Study in Nepal

Abstract

The Nepal Government has increased formal schooling around the country for young children. Therefore, it is important to understand how language and literacy skills contribute to children’s success in formal schooling. Early language and literacy skills are basic requirements for ensuring children’s achievements during their formal schooling. Oral language is the foundation of learning and literacy skills. Effective support from families and teachers is important for the development of these skills. The ethnographic research has shown that efforts are required to support young children in acquiring positive attitudes and increase their knowledge about language and literacy from the beginning of their lives from both families and teachers in preschools. This research found that current practices, even though there are variations in support systems, the practices are inadequate for young children who do not speak Nepali as their mother tongue. The study shows that children having opportunities to discuss and play in their own language settings were more confident, expressive and vocal and this was carried over to the school setting. Therefore, the implications for home activities are to use available materials and context with an increase of interaction and conversation from family members. The implications for ii preschools are to use dual language activities, integrated to more informal play-based teaching, and use of materials in the classroom. The implications for policy makers are to increase teacher training in play- based teaching methodologies, provide materials that promote home-based contexts, and to promote and train for dual language learning programs, using the mother tongue of the children in the classroom.