Issues surrounding the introduction of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction to
children during the early childhood period are subject to much debate. Official government
policies may not always reflect actual parental practices. Little is known about the extent to
which explicit EFL teaching by mothers occurs in the home context. This study investigated
whether Taiwanese mothers of 3 to 6 year old children were teaching EFL to their children at
home and the characteristics associated with this practice. A sample of 466 mothers of
preschoolers completed a questionnaire identifying their home teaching practices and
assessing their attitudes towards teaching EFL. Results indicated a positive trend towards
home EFL teaching, with teaching mothers tending to be aged between 30-39 years, more
highly educated and more confident about their own English abilities than those who were not
teaching. The findings raise significant issues that can inform EFL teaching policy and
practice during the early childhood years.