TY - JOUR
T1 - Why parents chose to send their children to Irish-medium immersion preschools
T2 - learning from parental choice strategies in Celtic countries
AU - Mhic Mhathúna, Máire
AU - Nic Fhionnlaoich, Fiona
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 EECERA.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - This study investigated the reasons Irish parents chose to send their children to Irish-medium preschools settings over other forms of early childhood education. The international literature on parental decision making regarding childcare and relevant studies on immersion education in Celtic countries were reviewed. A parental questionnaire, informed by this literature, was distributed through selected immersion settings in Ireland. Social and cognitive development were the main reasons parents cited in regard to early childhood education and an interest in the Irish language and bilingualism along with the good reputation of the immersion preschool were the reasons they chose immersion preschooling. Comparisons were made with the reasons parents chose immersion primary education in Scotland, Wales and Ireland and the findings were broadly similar across the studies. Recommendations include disseminating information about immersion preschools more widely as well as reviewing the impact of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act (DES, Admission to Schools Policy. Dublin: DES. http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2018/act/14/enacted/en/html, 2018) on enrolment in Irish-medium preschools and primary schools.
AB - This study investigated the reasons Irish parents chose to send their children to Irish-medium preschools settings over other forms of early childhood education. The international literature on parental decision making regarding childcare and relevant studies on immersion education in Celtic countries were reviewed. A parental questionnaire, informed by this literature, was distributed through selected immersion settings in Ireland. Social and cognitive development were the main reasons parents cited in regard to early childhood education and an interest in the Irish language and bilingualism along with the good reputation of the immersion preschool were the reasons they chose immersion preschooling. Comparisons were made with the reasons parents chose immersion primary education in Scotland, Wales and Ireland and the findings were broadly similar across the studies. Recommendations include disseminating information about immersion preschools more widely as well as reviewing the impact of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act (DES, Admission to Schools Policy. Dublin: DES. http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2018/act/14/enacted/en/html, 2018) on enrolment in Irish-medium preschools and primary schools.
KW - Irish-medium preschools
KW - early childhood education
KW - minority languages
KW - parental motivation
KW - social networks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106062094&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1928718
DO - 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1928718
M3 - Article
SN - 1350-293X
VL - 29
SP - 441
EP - 454
JO - European Early Childhood Education Research Journal
JF - European Early Childhood Education Research Journal
IS - 3
ER -