The Use of Literacy Materials in Early Childhood English Language and Literacy Programmes in Singapore: Local Responses to Global Trends

This paper explores local responses by Singapore pre-school teachers to the global trend towards English as the medium of instruction at the early childhood level of education. The paper reports research into how teachers have responded to the national literacy agenda, as outlined in the Curriculum Framework for Kindergartens in Singapore, using literacy materials in an early childhood English ‘literacy adoption’ programme over a period of one year. The study identified three interrelated and interdependent dimensions of influences on teachers’ use of literacy materials: choice of literacy materials; teacher beliefs and experience; and the literacy environment of the learner.