The present study investigates if intense training with the PhonicStick, a speech generating joystick developed originally as a communication device, has an effect on phonological ability in children with an atypical language development. Previous studies connected to the PhonicStick and phonological ability has not shown any improvement of phonological awareness due to training with the device. What is unique in the present study is the amount of intense training with the PhonicStick, something that has never been done before, as well as the focus on phonological ability instead of phonological awareness. The study consists of nine participating children between 4y;0m to 5y;7m of age, six of them diagnosed with an atypical language development by a speech and language pathologist, and three of them considered to follow a typical language development. Results indicate that intense training with the PhonicStick combined with conventional speech and language interventions may have an effect regarding phonological ability in children with an atypical language development on an individual level. Key words: The PhonicStick, phonological ability, atypical language development, intense training. / Syftet med den aktuella studien var att undersöka huruvida intensiv träning med the PhonicStick, en talgenererande joystick ursprungligen framtagen som ett kommunikationshjälpmedel, har en påverkan på fonologisk medvetenhet beträffande barn med en atypisk språklig utveckling. Tidigare studier gällande the PhonicStick och fonologisk förmåga har inte visat på någon förbättring gällande fonologisk medvetenhet genom träning med apparaten. Unikt för denna studie är mängden intensiv träning med the PhonicStick, samt att fokus ligger på fonologisk förmåga istället för fonologisk medvetenhet. I studien deltog nio barn i åldrarna 4;0 till 5;7 år. Sex av barnen har tidigare diagnosticerats av legitimerad logoped att ha en atypisk språklig utveckling. Tre av de deltagande barnen har bedömts följa en typisk språklig utveckling. Studiens resultat indikerar att intensiv träning med the PhonicStick, kombinerat med sedvanliga logopediska insatser, kan ha effekt gällande fonologisk förmåga hos barn med atypisk språkutveckling på individnivå. Nyckelord: The PhonicStick, fonologisk förmåga, atypisk språkutveckling, intensiv träning.

This is qualitative study of, four teacher´s views on the use of iPad in teaching and learning. In addition, I will examine the disadvantages and advantages of iPad use as a teaching tool in preschools. My questions are: What is the practical use of tablets in preschools today? Are preschool teachers using the tablet as a teaching tool? If so, how? Is the use of tablets in preschools contributing to children´s social interaction, as well as between children and teachers` social interaction? The purpose of this study was to find out how the four teachers uses the iPad as a teaching tool in the interaction between children in preschool. I have chosen to use Vygotsky’s and John Dewey´s theories. Both mention the importance of social interaction in learning processes. Interaction is a large part in socio-cultural theory, which makes the theory useful. I made qualitative interviews with four preschool teachers. I also made observations. My interviews and observations were made in two different preschools. The results showed that the iPad is a complementary educational tool. The teachers also thought that an iPad is an educational tool that can be used for different activities. The tool is used in social interaction where children expand their social development as they learn to interact, communicate and respect each other. The children communicate while talking about how to use the iPad. All teachers` attitudes were positive when it came to using the tablet in preschool. However, the teachers felt that there may be some drawbacks. Among other things, teachers must introduce the iPad properly. The iPad should be an educational tool, not a toy. Educators should therefore be present when children use the tablets.

The purpose of this study is to examine how four educators in two different departments at two different preschools in Stockholm, selects children's literature in preschool and how literature is used in the activities and how much influence children have in the choice of literature. Based on qualitative interviews as a method we have interviewed pedagogues to get answers to our questions. We will also interview some children to find out how involved they are in the purchase of literature on the departments we examined. We consider the social cultural perspective to be a well rounded starting point for our survey, because the theory gives us the opportunity to study how the interaction and meetings between educators and children develop for each reading encounter. And through the analysis a thorough display between educators and children towards literature will be shown. The study show that the educators are aware of the importance that literature entails for children´s language development. Therefore, it is a thoughful approach to how educators preselect the usage of literature in its operation. All educators have the purpose to increase the childrens influence in purchasing litterature in the teaching activities, in hopes of increasing the children’s interest in books and therefore increase children's language development.

No description available.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)-- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2006. / Vita. Bibliography: pp. 163-184.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M. (Augmentative and Alternative Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1976. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-53).

The society we live in today is covered by information and messages that are created by different forms of expression. Children born in this digital society, where they learn how to communicate through resources that they encounter in the kindergarten environment. In the kindergarten curriculum (Lpfö 98/10, p.10) says that "pre-school should strive to ensure that children develop an interest in the written language and an understanding of symbols and their communicative functions." For children to learn the written language, it is important that they exercise it through the different tools available in their environment. Through my thesis I have investigated children's written language development with a focus on writing. I have investigated children's understanding of scripture through various writing activities, that is to say with paper and pencil, letter stamps and the "e-reader" (Ipad). The survey was conducted through a qualitative study where both observations and interviews were used with the purpose of the study and issues. The issues analyzed in the study were: How children perceive their writing in various writing activities? How children understand newspapers, letters and postcards? What understanding have children of ICT use? Through the study, I have chosen to visit a kindergarten, where children between three and five years were attended in the study. But I focused myself most to the children between four and five years old, because at that age they want to explore and learn about their environment. In the analysis and results section, I have used three tables to write down the children's exact words about how they understood the written language and how they simultaneously acted to writing activities. Then I analyzed the results which I have linked to previous research and theoretical concepts.

Denna studie baseras på kopplingen mellan musik och sång och språkutvecklingsarbetet i förskolan. Syftet är att få syn på vilka uppfattningar förskollärare har om musik och sång som verktyg för att främja verbala språkutveckling. Studien baseras på kvalitativa semistrukturella intervjuer med förskollärare från en mindre kommun i södra Sverige och fokus ligger på två avgränsningar inom ämnet: Vilka uppfattningar förskollärare har om musik och sång som verktyg för att främja barns verbala språkutveckling samt hur förskollärare använder musik och sång för att ge stöd åt barns muntliga språkutveckling. Intervjuerna baseras på sex intervjufrågor som ger förskollärarna tillfälle att beskriva sin syn på musik och sång i relation till språkutveckling. Resultatet visar på en mestadels positiv uppfattning om musik och sång som språkutvecklande verktyg samt att arbetet med musik och sång i förskolan baseras på barnens delaktighet och intresse. Detta kan betyda att musik och sång verkligen används för att utveckla barns verbala språk i förskolan samt att förskollärare inser nyttan i användandet av musik och sång med förskolebarn för att utveckla språket.