REFLECTION OF CHILDREN LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGE LEARNT ON THE LINGUISTIC INTERACTION WITHIN THE FAMILY

In this study, foreign language learning motivation of children at the ages of 6-9, manner of implementation of the things learnt, and the reflection of children's foreign language learning on communication within the family were analyzed. The learning content of the course organized for children was prepared by synthesizing the principles of “Symbolic Interaction Theory” and “Social Interaction Theory” with considering the development levels of the students. The study was conducted on the parents of students attending to the “Foreign Language for Young Learners” course organized by a State University, School of Foreign Languages. Students who participated into the study were divided into two groups: those who haven't started to the primary education yet in the first group, and primary school students in the second group. The data of the study were obtained through a questionnaire prepared for the parents. When the data were analyzed it was identified that children's eagerness to learn a language was quite high depending on the learning environment created and the methods applied, children developed several learning strategies to implement what they learnt, they showed behaviors of teaching to the family members and encouraging them to learn as well as showing what they learnt while communicating with their parents. Also, parents expressed their desire to learn a language in order to support their children in foreign language learning.