PROFESSIONAL AGENCY AND EMOTIONAL CLIMATE IN BILINGUAL PRESCHOOL
Authors
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Ekaterina Protassova
University of Helsinki, Finland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8271-4909
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Sergei Silkin
Society for Support of the Finnish-Russian School
https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0001
https://doi.org/10.59102/ammr/2026/iss1art03
Keywords:
bilingual education, preschool, teacher agency, emotional climate, affective environment, relational atmosphere, socio-emotional setting, professional development, parental involvement, cultural identity, translanguagingAbstract
This study investigates teacher agency in preschool bilingual education, focusing on the ways in which educators deal with linguistic, cultural, and relational dynamics in Finnish–Russian early childhood contexts. Drawing on educators’ reflections, the findings show that professional agency extends beyond curriculum delivery to include identity work, creative self-expression, and the cultivation of an affective environment that supports children’s linguistic, socio-emotional, and cultural development. Interviewed members of the staff highlight the significance of their native language and cultural experience as foundations for transmitting knowledge and values, while also recognizing the need for professional development to deepen their understanding of bilingual acquisition processes. The study further demonstrates that bilingual education is shaped by the emotional climate, relational atmosphere, and affective atmosphere of preschools, where cooperation with parents, collegial support, and child–teacher bonds play decisive roles. At the same time, educators face challenges such as heavy workloads, limited resources, and difficulties in engaging parents, which reveal a tension between the ideal of collaborative bilingualism and the realities of everyday practice. The research aligns with global perspectives on flexible bilingual strategies—such as the “one teacher–one language” approach and translanguaging—and underscores the importance of systemic support, professional development, and inclusive policies. The findings suggest that effective bilingual education requires not only linguistic expertise but also emotional commitment, cultural sensitivity, and empathetic collaboration across teachers, parents, and institutions.
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