Abstract:

Background:
Bilingualism and early literacy are now at the top of the United Arab Emirates' list of educational reforms, which reflects the nation’s vision to develop citizens fluent in both languages. As part of this reform, the bi-literacy co-teaching model was introduced in public kindergartens to integrate English and Arabic instruction. Each class includes an Arabic-medium and an English-medium teacher who jointly plan and deliver lessons. This model seeks to enhance children's linguistic and cultural experiences; however, there is insufficient research regarding its implementation quality and conformity with international early childhood standards. To guide the evaluation of the model, the study draws on the framework of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which is a leading U.S.-based organization that sets internationally recognized standards for high-quality early childhood education and program accreditation.

Objectives:
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of the bi-literacy co-teaching model in UAE kindergartens using the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards as an analytical framework. The objectives were to:
1. Explore how Arabic and English teachers, assistant teachers, and school leaders perceive the program’s quality.
2. Identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in practice.
3. Derive implications for professional development and bilingual program design in early childhood settings.

Methodology:
A qualitative case study design was adopted in one public kindergarten in Al-Ain City, UAE. Data were collected through focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 22 participants: 20 teachers (Arabic- and English-medium), two assistant teachers, and a Head of Faculty. The interview guide was structured around seven NAEYC quality standards: relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, teachers, community relationships, and leadership. Data were thematically analyzed to identify patterns of alignment and divergence from these standards.

Results:
Findings showed that co-teaching promoted collaboration, shared planning, and bilingual integration within the classroom. Teachers described regular coordination meetings, joint development of literacy activities, and ongoing communication with families about children’s progress in both languages. Participants valued the cross-cultural professional exchange that co-teaching enabled.
However, several challenges emerged: limited professional training in co-teaching pedagogy, uneven role sharing between Arabic and English teachers, and insufficient tools for assessing bilingual literacy outcomes. Leadership support and structured evaluation mechanisms were also noted as areas requiring attention.

Conclusions:
The bi-literacy co-teaching model has significant potential to enhance linguistic equity, cultural understanding, and early literacy among young learners. To fully realize this potential, schools need to provide targeted professional development, promote reflective joint planning, and adopt standardized frameworks for assessing bilingual outcomes. The study contributes empirical evidence from an underexplored context—the UAE’s multilingual kindergartens—offering practical insights for policy makers, teacher educators, and early childhood leaders seeking to strengthen bilingual and collaborative pedagogies globally.

Keywords:

Bilingual education, Early childhood education, Co-teaching, Bi-literacy development, Teacher collaboration, Program evaluation, Educational quality standards, UAE kindergartens, NAEYC framework, Professional development.