Abstract:

In 2018, a new educational strategy was approved in Latvia [1], where a transition to education in the state language and the acquisition of the second language (usually English) is already provided in Grade 1. This strategy, based on the state language, provides equal opportunities to acquire educational content by using qualitative teaching aids and also provides easy inclusion in Latvia’s labour market. The main goal of this strategy is to already develop an inclusive society and qualitative acquisition of Latvian as the state language in the pre-school institutions.
Our previous research shows that in pre-school institutions with Latvian language instruction 5 to 6-year old children’s Latvian language skills are adequate to begin studies at school [2]. It was decided to analyse the survey of parents and guardians, and children’s language testing results of the minority children population in a pre-school education group with the language of instruction in Russian.

Keywords:

Latvian language, pre-school education, language acquisition.