The thesis surveys the main modern tendencies in the development of early foreign language education in the context of the USA elementary school (the 1990s - the beginning of the 21st century). On the basis of the review of national and international documents as well as professional works on language teaching the general rational for second language studying to begin earlier (in kindergarten) is defined: developing greater language effectiveness, the student's intellectual potential, higher academic achievement; enhancing economic competitiveness; maintaining political and security interests. The historical-pedagogical analysis of different stages of early foreign language learning beginning with the mid 19th century is conducted; the process of formation of elementary foreign language education is revealed and its periodization is as follows (the initiation period: 1840s - 1940s; the formation period: 1950s - 1980s; the period of dynamic development: 1990s - the beginning of 21st century); the domination of the grammar-translation, the audio-lingual, communicative approaches is defined in the course of the analysed area growth. On the basis of scientific analysis the modern challenges of early language learning (inequities in access to foreign language education, a shortage of qualified teachers, establishment of programmes without sufficient planning, etc.) and new tools to meet them (a solid base of research in psychology and linguistics, extensive experiences in bilingual education, new insights about communication, new standards for judging proficiency, a growing professional support) are specified. The positive tendencies to change the profile of the investigated area (introduction of earlier foreign language studying, the diversification of foreign languages) are revealed. Various programme models among which school districts and programme planners choose according to the desired language proficiency outcomes, the budgetary and staffing circumstances are presented. Elementary school foreign language programmes are classified into several major types: partial, total, two-way immersion; content-based; exploratory, and foreign language in the elementary school programmes. Their characteristics are revealed through the grade level at which the language is introduced, the number of times the language is taught per week, and the length of time per language teaching session. The extreme diversity of educational tools determined by the tendency to pluralism of educational technologies applied by a language teacher is defined. Common elements comprising emphasis on communication, activity-oriented approach which takes into account the developmental level of the students, a particular learning style, and different types of intelligence are revealed as the influence of the tendency to student-centred communicative language teaching. The traditional activities in a communication-based classroom (games, surrounding concrete experiences with language, songs, rhymes, role plays, pair work, etc.) and special listening, speaking, reading, and writing strategies (total physical response, storytelling, the language-experience approach, etc.) are considered. The increased use of authentic materials from the target culture and other subjects is caused by the tendency to integration of elements of target language and culture instruction with the aims of the regular curriculum (social studies, physical education, music etc.); technology based instructional aids (Internet resources, computer-assisted instructional materials) are called forth by the tendency to implementation of technologies in the area. The standards for foreign language learning are defined as a political document which delineates the goals of the profession and makes a case for instructional change in elementary school foreign language programmes. The impact of the voluntary national standards is considered. The encouragement of teachers by states and national language-specific organizations developing their own standards or frameworks to implement the national standards and align their present foreign language curriculum with them is determined by the tendency to standardization of content in language learning. The comparative analysis of the organization of early foreign language education in the United States and Ukraine is provided; some ways to inculcate the USA foreign language teaching theory and practice are elaborated.
