Two countries, one policy : a comparative synthesis of early childhood English language education in China and Australia

Although English is taught to students worldwide at different educational levels, the actual implementation of early childhood English language education (ECELE) may vary from country to country. This study aims to comprehensively compare how ECELE is being put into practice in China and Australia, where young children learn English as a foreign language and as an additional language or dialect, respectively. Based on a critical analysis of relevant policy documents and the empirical studies found in the literature, this paper provides a detailed account and comparison of how ECELE is delivered in China and Australia. It is found that despite their different sociolinguistic contexts, the educational authorities in both countries share the same ostrich policy and inactive involvement in overseeing and directing ECELE. The implications for policymaking are also addressed.