Exploring parents' attitudes and teachers' perceptions towards the inclusion of english at primary schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of Algerian primary school teachers and the attitudes of parents toward the teaching of English, as well as any potential justifications for their support or opposition. A mixed-method research design is used, with a questionnaire and an interview conducted with 30 teachers and 10 parents in order to obtain the essential data for the study. Following that, the data is then analyzed statistically using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) and qualitatively using thematic analysis. According to the study's key findings, most participants support the introduction of English to primary schools because they think it improves students' cognitive skills, increases their proficiency in the language, would eventually result in higher academic achievement, and increases their desire to learn. Conversely, those who opposed the introduction of English did so on the grounds that they believed it is too early for students to learn a foreign language. The research's conclusions suggest that learning English is crucial for students' cognitive development and gives them significant advantages for managing their lives in the future. The primary recommendations are to encourage parents to be active participants in their children’s English education through workshops, resources, and regular communication with schools, and to encourage the integration of English into other subjects to provide context and reinforce language skills