Micro Language Planning for Sustainable Early English Language Education: A Case Study on Chinese Educators’ Agency

In language education research, micro-level policy and planning (LPP) primarily concerns local actors’ decision making on matters in relation to language(s) its users. Despite a growing body of literature focusing educational settings, there is scarcity research examining early childhood settings as the LPP context for young English learners. By adopting qualitative case study approach drawing an ecological LPP, present examined educators’ enactment agency micro-planning (LEP) one Chinese kindergarten associated factors shaping their agency. Deploying grounded theory analytical method, this revealed that sustainable implementation LEP depended principal, native English-speaking teachers, assistant teachers’ different degrees Additionally, findings indicated array contextual individual nested hierarchical structure facilitated, guided, constrained role-and circumstance-dependent manner. This contributes pertinent by casting nuanced light contributions against national does not endorse early-year education.