Chapter 9: Promoting language for sustainable development in an early childhood care and education centre

Language development is a cornerstone of effective early childhood education (ECE). Each aspect of a child’s development – cognitive, social and emotional – interacts reciprocally with language development. Therefore, fostering the holistic development of young children is vital for preparing them to navigate the world around them sustainably.

Children’s language development lays the essential foundation for their reading and writing skills as they begin and advance through their schooling. Given the crucial role language development plays in overall growth, it is imperative to enhance the necessary skills for successful and sustainable language acquisition during the early childhood years. A strong literacy foundation can transform children’s lives by empowering them to strive for a better future.

This chapter is based on a study conducted at an early childhood care and education (ECCE) centre in an informal settlement in the North West province of South Africa. The study primarily aimed to investigate the language development of Grade R children in a low-income community ECCE centre. A qualitative research approach was employed, following a participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) design, where members of the action learning set (ALS) acted as equal partners and co-researchers to derive meaning from their experiences and advocate for change. Grounded in a critical transformative paradigm, co-researchers were encouraged to reflect on young children’s language development and explore how collaboration can address the challenges they face. Data were collected through various methods, including a fishbone diagram and reflective group discussions conducted by the ALS during Cycles 1 and 2 of the PALAR process. The findings indicate that providing professional growth opportunities and fostering collaboration among practitioners could positively influence language development in early childhood, ultimately contributing to sustainable community development and enhancing the quality of life in such communities.