How can Peppa Pig help children learn English?

What is it about?

Early exposure to technology, media, consumerist ideology, and foreign language instruction are nowadays frequent factors influencing childhood education, and not always positive ones. Therefore, a question arises: how can the three issues be connected so that the potential detriments of each are transformed into the advantages for young English language learners, resulting in a motivating learning experience? The paper examines how centering teaching around authentic media material, such as Peppa Pig (2004), an internationally popular British preschool animated television series, and the accompanying branded toys, affects the level of L2 knowledge and motivation for learning.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

“One environment – one language” (OEOL) approach was devised by the author of the study, showing how connecting one language with one fictional, i.e. cartoon, environment simultaneously fulfills the need for early foreign language learning, exposure to media and technology, as well as the need to fit in with peers by possessing branded toys. An approach other than “one person – one language” (OPOL) was developed in order to cater for the needs of caregivers who are non-native speakers of English and who do not feel at ease when using a foreign language in all daily interactions with one’s child.

Perspectives