The purpose of this study is to investigate how children's literature used at preschool, focusing on social interaction between the children ́s and between the children and the educators. Through interviews and observations at four preschools, we studied the way in which teachers and children made use of children's literature.We propose the following questions: In wich way does the preschool teachers using the children’s literature at preschoolin a verbally interaction? What is the purpose when the educators using the childrens’s literature? How is the children using the literture that exist at the preschoolin a social interaction? This study is based on a qualitative method with interviews, observations and audio recordings. Our theoretical approach to this study is the socio -Cultural perspectiveLearning and development by Lev Vygotsky. We will also use John Dewey, highlight the concept of experience.

The aim of this essay was to examine adult-child power structures connected to the main character in Lois Lowry´s novel Number the Stars, to see if they could be found in different levels, and layers of the text. With the focus to see if the novel´s content might correlate to any educational purposes if used when teaching English as a second language in the Swedish upper secondary school. The analysis showed that the novel displayed a didactic intent from the author to introduce ideological social values belonging to the Danish society and the resistance movement in Denmark during the German occupation, between the years of 1940-1945. Furthermore, presumed transference of American values from the author were found in the narrative. The portrayals of these social values in the narrative are done with a display of adult power over children in the narrative, both in the story and towards the novel´s intended readers. The content of the novel could then be used for educational purposes to uncover and discuss aspects of social power through ideology, human values, and human rights, correlating to the English syllabus in Lgr11 regarding "relations and ethical questions", as well as the curricula’s aim to develop the students ability´s to "reflect over living conditions, social and cultural phenomena in different contexts and parts of the world where English is used" (Skolverket 32, 34).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of East Asian Languages & Civilizations, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Inaug.-diss.--Leipzig. / Lebenslauf. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. 129-130.

Thesis (Ed. D.) in Literacy Education--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 304-318).

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Som medmänniskor och i lärarprofessionen anser jag att vi måste ha en bra förståelse för genus, då det påverkar vår pedagogiska grundsyn och hur vi är som människor. För att kunna utmana könsnormer på ett konstruktivt sätt menar jag att vi måste förstå vad barnen har för syn på genus och tankar om skillnader mellan pojkar och flickor ur jämställdhetssynpunkt. Studien handlar om barns tankar om genus och könsroller utifrån högläsning av Astrid Lindgrens Mio min Mio (2011/ 1954) och Gro Dahle & Svein Nyhus Snäll (2008). Mio i Mio min Mio (2011/ 1954) representerar den snälla, men modiga manliga huvudrollen och Lussi i Snäll (2008) representerar den snälla, men normbrytande kvinnliga huvudrollen. Huvudsakliga frågeställningar är hur barnen i en klass 6 tolkar den valda litteraturen i ett genusperspektiv, samt hur den påverkar barnen i deras tankar om genus/ könsroller. Det intressanta är att det i varje tid med sin kultur och historia, finns rum för förändring (Hedlin 2010 s.20). Sker denna förändring i mötet med böckerna? Eleverna har fått svara på en enkät om genusperspektivet i respektive bok och jag har valt att analysera sex elevers enkäter, tre pojkar och tre flickor. Resultaten visar att barnen sett ett tydligt genusperspektiv i litteraturen, och utifrån detta har de utvecklat sin förståelse och i slutändan kunnat formulera sina tankar om genus och könsroller på ett djupare plan. / As fellow people and in the teaching profession, I believe that we need to have a good understanding about gender, because it affects our educational basic view and how we behave as humans. To be able to constructively challenge the current gender norms, I believe that we need to understand our pupils understanding in the subject of gender. We also need to understand their thoughts about the differences between boys and girls in a gender perspective. The study is about the pupils thoughts of gender and gender norms after reading aloud and having discussions about Astrid Lindgrens Mio, my son (2011/ 1954) and Gro Dahle & Svein Nyhus Snäll (Kind authors translation) (2008). Mio in Mio, my son (Lindgren 2011/ 1954) represent the kind, but brave boy as a main character and Lussi in Snäll (Dahle & Nyhus 2008) represents the kind, but norm breaking girl as the main character. The main issues are how pupils in the 6th grade interpret the chosen literature from a gender perspective, and how it affects the students in their thoughts about gender and gender norms. What is interesting is that in every time with its own culture and history, there is room for change (Hedlin 2010 s.20). Does this change happen when the pupil interacts with the books? The pupils have answered a questionnaire about the gender perspective in each book, and I chose to analyze the questionnaires of six pupils, three boys and three girls. The results show that the pupils have seen a clear gender perspective in the literature and on this basis, they developed their understanding and ultimately, they have been able to formulate their thoughts about gender and gender roles on a deeper level.

Each year a significant number of children’s books, with a wide range of themes, are being published. The relation between children and adults is a common theme. In this study I have analyzed ten children’s books, five from the 1970’s and five from the 2010’s. I have in my analysis used Steven Lukes’ (2008) power theory to examine and compare the power relations between the children and the adults in these books. To find out more about the views that authors of children’s literature have on the adult characters in their books, I have interviewed two authors, Barbro Lindgren who has been writing children’s books since 1965 and Åsa Mendel-Hartvig who started to write children’s literature in 2010. I have compared their views and used them in my analysis. From my studies I could see a change in the power structure. The young characters have more room to act and the adults show less of authority in the books from the 2010’s. There are many possible explanations to this and I choose to see the Swedish curriculum as one of them. Today’s guidelines of letting children be part of decision makings could be an influence on our society as well as on the children’s literature.

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