Kompetenču pieeja un latviešu valodas apguve pirmsskolā: problēmas un risinājumi

The research is conducted within the framework of the National Research Programme (NRP) “Latvian Language” (No. VPP-IZM-2018/2-0002) 8th sub-project, “Acquisition of Latvian Language”. The aim of this article is to summarise and systematise the scientific knowledge on the promotion of Latvian language in ethnically and linguistically heterogeneous pre-school groups in the context of a competency-based approach. In Latvia, the competency-based approach has been implemented in pre-school educational institutions since 2019. In the pedagogical work, the transition has taken place from the result to the process, emphasising the child being a researcher. The implementation of this approach has changed the arrangement of the pre-school environment, and also the work of teachers has improved in order to successfully develop the child’s self-directed learning, thinking and creativity, self-knowledge and transversal skills. In the pre-school, children develop literacy, which determines the acquisition of Latvian language both in Latvian and ethnic minority pre-school education programmes. In the competency-based curriculum, it is indicated that the following language acquisition skills should be achieved at the end of pre-school education: • a child can explain why people use language when communicating, listen to the text, name the people acting in it, re-tell the events, invent a continuation to a text, ask questions if confused and answer a specific question, clearly and consistently tell what is seen, heard and experienced, participate in a conversation, does not interrupt the speaker, uses different speech intonations when speaking, distinguishes and names sounds, marks sound with an appropriate letter, reads words and understands what is read, writes written letters; • a child who has acquired an ethnic minority pre-school education curriculum can answer questions in Latvian about what he/she has seen and heard, ask questions to obtain the information, express one’s needs, engage in a conversation on topics related to everyday life and the learning process; learns to pronounce sounds correctly, knows printed letters, reads short words used in the learning process and everyday situations (Pirmsskolas mācību programma 2019). However, it is a challenge for the national education system to ensure high achievements in language acquisition for both monolingual and bilingual children. From an early age, the children’s language development is focused on the expansion and perfection of their skills. At first, children learn to understand and use the sounds, then the words, then the sentences, and finally the whole text. This ensures a diverse interaction with the social environment, using the language tools that stimulate the child’s personal development and the formation of social experience. Within the framework of the NRP “Latvian Language”, a study has been conducted in relation to the language acquisition of pre-school children, indicating the main problem issues. Thus, the following research questions are put forward: (1) How have the opportunities for children’s language acquisition improved in the two years since the competency-based approach is implemented in the pre-school institutions? (2) What are the benefits and challenges of bilingual education? (3) What solutions can be offered to improve the situation?