Cognitive Linguistics in the Classroom: Comparative Analysis of Pedagogical Openness Among Early Childhood Educators in Local vs. International Kindergartens in Hong Kong

This study investigates the openness to new pedagogical approaches among pre-service and in-service early childhood educators in ESL contexts within Hong Kong. It specifically focuses on the Cognitive Linguistic conceptualization of syntax, a novel approach emphasizing the meaningfulness of grammar, contrasting traditional methods that separate semantics from syntax. The research explores educators' perceptions of count and mass nouns through the lens of cognitive linguistics, which introduces the concepts of boundedness and unboundedness. A survey distributed to educators from local and international kindergartens assessed their views on innovative teaching materials, such as animations and real objects, designed according to this approach. Findings reveal that preservice educators are generally more open to using the new pedagogies in teaching than their in-service counterparts (n=296, p<0.05), with international kindergarten teachers having stronger interest and confidence in implementing the new pedagogies than their local counterparts (p<0.01). These results highlight the need to enhance teaching support for local in-service teachers to maintain their enthusiasm and confidence. The study underscores the importance of providing targeted support from schools and the government to encourage the adoption of innovative teaching practices, thereby improving ESL teaching effectiveness in diverse educational contexts