The Consequences of Pre-School Education for Elementary School Students in Bilingual Provinces: More Linguistic Preparedness and Advancement

From a constructivist perspective, cultural and particularly linguistic experiences of early childhood play an important role in elementary education and beyond. The main objective of pre-school programs is to help the pre-schoolers prepare for school culturally and specially linguistically. However, the significance of pre-school programs is multiplied in areas faced with bilinguality of home and school because student's lack of linguistic preparedness would lead to learning difficulties and slow advancement in school. With the purpose of helping to improve and promote pre-school education, the present study compares the linguistic preparedness and advancement of two groups of first and second graders, half of whom have gone to pre-school and half are girls. The instruments were specially constructed and their validity and reliability tested to be adequate. The results show more linguistic preparedness and advancement in those who have pre-school experiences. Hence, pre-school programs have been effective and need to be expanded.