This is a longitudinal study of patterns of children's early literacy development with a view to predicting literacy achievement after one year of schooling. The study fits within an emergent/social constructivist theoretical framework that acknowledges a child as an active learner who constructs meaning from signs and symbols in the company of other more experienced language users. Commencing in the final month of preschool, the literacy achievement of 114 young Australian students was mapped throughout Year 1. Data were gathered from measures of literacy achievement with the students, surveys with parents and surveys and checklists with teachers. Cross-time comparisons were possible as data were gathered three times from the students and teachers and twice from parents. Parents' perceptions of their children's personal characteristics, ongoing literacy development and family home literacy practices were examined in relation to children's measures of literacy achievement. Their perceptions were found to be accurate. Parents supported children's literacy growth at home in both the prior-to-school period and throughout Year 1. Teachers reflected on children's characteristics as members of their classes and on their knowledge of children's preparation for literacy. Generally, their predictions of literacy success were based on unsustainable connections with children's ability to concentrate, follow directions and stay on task. Children demonstrated a broad range of understandings about literacy in the prior-to-school period and teachers failed to acknowledge the extent of these. Children's prior-to-school understandings relating to the alphabet, environmental print, concepts about print and phonological awareness all predicted later literacy achievements. Alphabetic knowledge and environment print were found to be the strongest predictors. Results showed few significant school, age, home or gender effects. However, children's prior-to-school understandings of literacy were shown to predict later literacy achievement. Those with the greater level of knowledge prior-to-school generally maintained that advantage when later literacy achievements were measured.

The aim of this thesis is to verify the practical utility of the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale (ACFS) to determin cognitive development of pre-school children. The theoretical part looks into specifics of the pre-school period and introduces the precise meaning of dynamic assessment, which is typical by its format consisting of three phases: pre- test - intervention - post-test. This part outlines the ACFS method and the influence of an adult on the process of mediated learning experience, which is a vital part of the intervention phase of the dynamic assessment. The empirical part describes the use of dynamic assessment and examines the possibilities of the ACFS method to observe the potential of cognitive functions development of pre-school children. The results show that the ACFS method is well-adapted to identify the potential of cognitive functions development of children and it provides specific and efficient guidelines for further development of their cognitive skills. Keywords: pre-school period, dynamic assessment, mediated learning experience, ACSF method, cognitive development of children

Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva betydelsen av studie- och yrkesvägledande aktiviteter med barn i åldrarna sju till tolv år. Kvalitativa intervjuer genomfördes med sex examinerade studie- och yrkesvägledare som bedriver studie- och yrkesvägledningsverksamhet med barn i grundskolans år 1-6 eller fungerar som stöd till pedagoger som arbetar med studie- och yrkesorienterande verksamhet med barn i dessa åldrar. Resultatet visade att intervjupersonerna anser att arbetet måste påbörjas tidigt, helst redan i grundskolans första år, för att målen så som de skrivs fram i de nationella styrdokumenten ska kunna uppnås. De förutsättningar intervjupersonerna menade krävs för att tidig vägledning ska kunna bedrivas är av såväl strukturell som av individuell art. Slutsatsen som drogs var att studie- och yrkesvägledande aktiviteter som påbörjas i grundskolans tidigare år och som följer elevernas kognitiva utveckling kan medverka till att eleverna ökar sina förutsättningar att göra väl underbyggda val i framtiden. / The main purpose of this study was to describe the importance of educational and vocational guidance activities for children, seven to twelve years old. Qualitative interviews were conducted with six guidance counselors engaged in this type of activities or counselors that provides support to educators working with these matters. The result showed that the respondents believe that the work must be started early preferably already the first year in primary school to achieve the objectives of the national steering documents. The conditions interviewees felt necessary for the early guidance to be conducted are both individual and structural, such as economical factors. Conclusion drawn was that educational and vocational guidance activities that start in primary school and follows students' cognitive development can help the students increase their ability to make informed choices in the future.