Exploring Natural and Reflective Foreign Language Writing Engagement in 5-Year-Old Learners

Emerging results

Throughout our investigative journey, guided by the interests, questions, and curiosities of our learners, we fully integrate our kids’ writing practices into the topics we are exploring, lending purpose and meaning to their learning experiences. This approach naturally leads to reflective writing, as learners record their findings and contemplate the significance and implications of what they've discovered. In this research-based environment, our young learners are active researchers who are constantly encouraged to seek answers to their inquiries. That's why you'll find our learning space walls equipped with contextually meaningful lists, representing the collective investigative paths of the group. This is also something interesting… if you visit Kinder A’s learning space you will find specific lists, art pieces, productions, material, and even furniture arrangements that only this room has. Also, if you then go to Kinder B’s room, you will notice that the room is visually quite different, yet filled with meaning for the group itself. The context, transformed into a possibility through the actions and partnership established between children and adults, was experienced collectively through the productions and relationships with space.

Just so you know the investigative paths each group is following:

In a few words, Kinder A/2023 started with the investigation of the passage of time and the marks it leaves in nature and our bodies, and this led the group to research the past, present, and future. When the topic “future” came aboard, we intended to answer the guiding question: "What Actions Can Shape the Future as a 'Universe of Happy’?” (J. 5 years old). On the other hand, Kinder B has shown curiosity about nature. On a daily basis, we observed our learners interacting with the insects found on campus, analyzing them closely and expressing their ideas. This movement has allowed rich spontaneous discussions with hypotheses about where bugs live, what they eat and how nature elements appear, their colors, smells, and textures.

Having noticed that the same grade level has gone through totally different investigative paths, we wonder - Is it possible to engage 5-year-old learners in writing in a foreign language naturally and reflectively? And our answer is YES! It is indeed possible to engage 5-year-old learners in writing in a foreign language naturally and reflectively. Through our innovative and immersive approach, we've witnessed their growth and enthusiasm. They are actively and authentically engaged in writing, embracing the foreign language as a natural extension of their communication toolkit.

Considering how important it is for children to understand writing as a tool for learning, we aimed to connect our investigations with our writing moments. Learners were invited to think about the fact that writers are like scientists and we can write down our observations. We tried to capture what we see by observing, labeling and writing. Praising their remarkable ability to see the world, they were motivated to try to register their thoughts, wonders, ideas and observations.

Our approach is enriching, demonstrating the potential of each learner. It is also important to mention that we recognize the unique needs and capabilities of each of our young learners, and our interventions are carefully designed to align with the opportunity for growth of each child, through differentiated instruction. As we have said before, our learning spaces are transformed into natural language environments that are organized in a provocative and stimulating way. This rich, language-filled environment ensures that the learning process becomes an integral part of their daily experiences.

As we move forward, we aim to refine and expand our approach, continually adapting to the needs and interests of our young learners. Our research journey doesn't end here; it serves as a foundation for further exploration, including the assessment of long-term language development and the potential for applying this approach in diverse educational contexts.