Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

This cross-sectional study examined preschool teachers’ perceptions of the influence of electronic media on children’s language development and early literacy in Kalutara District, Sri Lanka. Data were obtained through a questionnaire completed by 327 preschool teachers, with structured ratings and open-ended responses addressing listening and pre-literacy skills, information technology (IT) literacy, reading encouragement, and language learning through games. Descriptive analyses summarised teacher ratings, Kruskal–Wallis tests examined differences across demographic and professional characteristics, and open-ended responses were analysed thematically. IT literacy received the highest agreement, with approximately half of respondents endorsing its benefits. By contrast, agreement with the three language-related statements was around one-third, while sizeable proportions expressed neutral or negative views. Age was associated with perceptions of IT literacy (p = .027), whereas the tests did not identify significant demographic or professional differences for the three language-related items. The qualitative responses reflected four themes: perceived vocabulary learning through media; concern about children’s imitation of inappropriate language; emphasis on reading and conversation; and uncertainty about which media resources might support language learning. The findings suggest that teachers distinguish between technological competence and language-related development but remain uncertain about the latter. Professional guidance on identifying language-rich content and supporting adult–child discussion around media may be useful. As the study assessed teacher perceptions rather than children’s developmental outcomes, its findings should not be interpreted as evidence of media effects on language acquisition.