Supporting the mother tongue: pedagogical approaches

This paper reports on the development and evaluation of a project to support the learning of the mother tongue by children aged 4-8 years. The aim of the project was to: actively involve and engage children with learning their mother tongue for functional use; involve parents in the learning process and support them in doing so; and increase children's regular attendance at the educational setting where formal teaching of the mother tongue takes place. A program entitled 'Learning Together' was developed, drawing on the principles of socio-cultural theory and developmentally appropriate practice that underpin the pedagogical praxis in early childhood. The program was implemented in a Greek community school located in England. The project followed an ethnographic case-study methodology. Its findings are discussed in terms of the implications for pedagogical approaches and practices that might be applicable in similar contexts and situations.