EXPLORING EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS' CONFIDENCE IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN INDONESIA

Abstract

As more early childhood education (ECE) institutions in Indonesia teach English to young learners, the demand for ECE teachers with the competence to teach English is increasing. Self-confidence is the most common reason causing the lack of English language skills among ECE teachers. This study explores Indonesian Early Childhood Education Teachers’ Confidence in Teaching English to Young Learners. Quantitative research was used as the method of this research. An adaptation of 5 Likert scale questionnaire from Chen et al was used to collect the data. A total of 545 ECE teachers who currently introduce English in their classrooms participated in this study. The data was then analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis (Mean & Standard Deviation). Findings showed that teachers were confident about their knowledge of strategies for helping children learn English, but they are less confident in knowing what children already know about English when they enter early childhood education. They show good reading comprehension and creative problem-solving skills. However, sometimes they feel nervous and less confident in their speaking and listening skills. Ongoing workshops and peer-sharing sessions can help teachers improve their confidence and skills.