In this scientific essay, I investigate how pedagogues are affected by working with the method of family stories, which the principal has decided that all young children´s departmens shouldwork with. The method includes many parts and is tightly controlled. What are the possibilities and limitations of the method? I start by designing the method through selfexperienced examples and then describe it briefly. I gather my empirical data by talking to pedagogues at the preschool where I work, talking to children and observing pedagogues and children. Previous conversations in various contexts with other pedagogues in the preschool area are also included in the documentation. I write in the field of practical knowledge and power and judgment become part of the survey. Who has the power over the methods we use and how they are used? Methods with strict control remove the possibility of using our judgment. I reason around these questions together with theories and my empirical data. Writing is part of the research process. I thematize the discussion with the empirics and theories by relating to the following: thoughts about the method in general, about cooperation with families, about the method as language development, play development, as support in the transition to the next department and what happens when reality goes beyond the manual. I have gained an in-depth understanding of how the method can be used and the importance of pedagogues knowing the theories behind the method but also their own practice theory. The family stories as a method contain great opportunities for many good pedagogical efforts if the pedagogue knows the theory behind the method, uses his own knowledge and is allowed to make decisions about the design with his own judgment. If, on the other hand, the description is perceived and used as a manual, the judgment is disconnected and there is a great risk that it will only be an action that does not lead to any development. The pedagogues must also relate to the needs of their own unique group of children and adapt the method accordingly.

This is a case study that focuses on the oral proficiency in English manifested by the 4-year-old sonof the author. He speaks Swedish as his L1 like his both parents but has been exposed to Englishsince he was one year old from using a tablet. The child’s spoken production was recorded andtranscribed with a focus on the plural-forms and the genitive. An important field that this case studyis motivated by is how child language development may be connected to the concept of innatism,that language is based on innate principles (Lightbown & Spada, 2013:20) as it has been found that anumber of languages are acquired according to predictable patterns and processes (Moskowitz,1994:621-627) such as a the u-shaped learning process and over-generalization which has beenfound when investigating both L1 and L2 acquisition (Abrahamsson, 2013:663). The aim of thisstudy is to find possible similarities within the learning process: whether L2 acquisition follows thesame developmental patterns as in L1 acquisition by analyzing the recordings mainly targeting theplural and the genitive morphemes produced by a 4-year-old L2 speaker of English. Findings in thisresearch revealed that the child demonstrated a similar developmental pattern in the form of theu-shaped learning process (Abrahamsson, 2013:663).

Reading aloud is a form of teaching that rarely occurs in favor of other activities. Nevertheless, research shows that reading aloud is the main language development in children. This study aims to clarify the views teachers have about reading in relation to language development, as well as what they think about the working method. The thesis's theoretical approach is mainly based on the socio-cultural perspective on learning where interaction between individuals and the language are fundamental factors for learning to take place. An interview study of qualitative type has been conducted with active teachers in grades 1-3. Previous research shows the importance of reading aloud for language development and the teaching form has many advantages. It is important that the students are included, that there is time and that the teaching is carefully planned with a purpose. The result shows that teachers read aloud continuously but that the purpose varies. First and foremost, they say that the moment aims to be language development but sometimes also to relaxation. They use different strategies to get students involved and they believe that the main thing is the vocabulary and reading comprehension that is promoted. Some stated that they opt out of reading aloud sometimes as they thought it takes a lot of time. / Högläsning är en undervisningsform som förekommer sällan och som utgår till förmån för andra aktiviteter. Trots det visar forskning på att högläsning främjar språkutvecklingen hos barn. Den här undersökningen syftar därför till att bringa klarhet i vilken syn lärare har på högläsning i relation till språkutveckling, samt vad de anser om arbetsformen. Uppsatsens teoretiska ansats utgår främst från det sociokulturella perspektivet på lärande där interaktion mellan individer och språket är grundläggande faktorer för att lärande ska ske. En intervjustudie av kvalitativt slag har genomförts med aktiva lärare inom årskurserna 1-3. Tidigare forskning visar på högläsningens betydelse för språkutvecklingen och undervisningsformen har många fördelar. Viktigt är att eleverna är inkluderade, att det finns tid och att undervisningen är noga planerad med ett syfte. Resultatet visar att lärare högläser kontinuerligt men att syftet varierar. Främst säger de att stunden syftar till att vara språkutvecklande men ibland även till avkoppling. De använder olika strategier för att få eleverna delaktiga och de anser att det främst är ordförråd och läsförståelse som främjas. Några uppgav att de väljer bort högläsningen emellanåt då de menade att den tar mycket tid i anspråk.

För att eleverna ska utveckla språket och ordförrådet samt förstå det lästa är högläsning med språkutvecklande strategier en bra metod. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur lärare i årskurs 1–3 upplever att de arbetar med högläsning av skönlitteratur och hur de anser att deras arbete utvecklar elevens ordförråd och språkutveckling.  Undersökningens teoretiska utgångspunkt utgår från det sociokulturella perspektivet. Vilket innebär ett lärande där interaktionen mellan människor är det viktigaste redskapet för att lärande ska kunna ske. En intervjustudie genomfördes med fem legitimerade svensklärare som undervisar på lågstadiet. Resultatet visar att samtliga lärare anser sig använda högläsning i sin undervisning, för att främja elevers språkutveckling och ordförråd. Alla fem lärarna framhåller att de använder sig av en eller flera språkutvecklande metoder, de metoder som framkom var En läsande klass och Reading to Learn. Dessa metoder används på olika sätt beroende på syfte, och lärarna framhåller att de också inspireras av metoderna för att utveckla dem till ett eget arbetssätt. Lärarna upplever att högläsning av skönlitteratur bidrar till positiva effekter på elevernas ordförråd och språkutveckling. / Reading aloud with language development strategies is a method to develop pupils language and vocabulary, as well as to understand the read text. The object of this study is to examine how teachers experience reading fiction aloud for pupils, and how their work develops the vocabulary and language development of their pupils. The theoretical approach of the study is based on the socio-cultural perspective. Meaning that the interaction between people are the most important tool for learning. An interview study was conducted with five legitimized teachers of the Swedish language who teach at the lower level, grade 1-3. The result shows that all teachers say that they are reading aloud as part of their teaching. All five teachers stress that they are using one or more language development methods, the methods that emerged were “En Läsande Klass” and “Reading to Learn”. These methods are used in different ways depending on the purpose, and the teachers point out that they are often taking bits and pieces from them to develop and use in their teaching. The teachers experience that reading fiction aloud are contributing factors for the pupils development of vocabulary and language development.

The purpose of my research is to investigate how preschool teachers think about how the ability to distinguish language sounds affects children's language development and how preschool teachers work on teaching children to distinguish different sounds. I used qualitative interviews and analyzed with interpretative phenomenological analysis. The result I got was that preschool teachers work consciously to distinguish sounds and that they see the importance of children's ability to discern language sounds has an effect on language development. The conclusions I came up with are that preschool teachers actively try to keep the volume down and that they are aware that the concentration is affected by external auditory stimuli. / Syftet med min undersökning var att undersöka hur förskollärare tänker om hur förmågan att urskilja språkljud påverkar barnens språkutveckling och även hur förskollärarna jobbar med att lära barnen urskilja olika ljud. Jag använde mig av kvalitativa intervjuer och analyserade med interpretativ fenomenologisk analys (IPA). Resultatet jag fick var att förskollärarna arbetar medvetet att urskilja ljud och även att de ser vikten av barnens förmåga att urskilja språkljud har en påverkan på språkutvecklingen. Slutsatserna jag kom fram till är att förskollärarna aktivt försöker hålla nere ljudvolymen och att de är medvetna om att koncentrationen påverkas av yttre auditiva stimuli.

The work deals with the acquisition of vocabulary in the period of advanced language development in second-level primary school pupils from different socio-economic and socio- cultural backgrounds. The theoretical section summarises the basic findings as well as the existing empirical research, focusing in particular on the influence of the family environment of the individual on his/her linguistic development. It provides a complex picture of the education of Roma children in the Czech Republic at this point in time. The investigative section presents independent research into the vocabulary of pupils, with regard to selected word groups in the acquisition corpus SKRIPT2015. The texts of pupils attending schools in socially-deprived areas, or in areas under threat of social deprivation and with a strong Roma presence, are compared with the texts of pupils attending average schools. On the basis of this comparison, a picture emerges of the impact of different socio-economic and socio-cultural environments on the written language of pupils, as well as the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the existing support mechanisms provided by educational institutions. KEYWORDS acquisition of language, advanced language development, expansion of vocabulary, education of Roma children, acquisition corpus, SKRIPT2015

There is a great tendency in using literature as a medium of language teaching because literature plays an essential role in developing the students’ language skills. It also helps them in acquiring cultural experiences and to attain a better understanding of the literary texts. The Swedish National Agency for Education supports the inclusion of literature in English language classes in each of primary, secondary and even upper secondary schools. This research aims to examine the underlying reasons behind incorporating literature in teaching English, specifically in Swedish secondary schools grades 7-9, and it sheds light on how teachers manage to employ literature effectively in the classroom. Moreover, it explains the criteria behind selecting appropriate literary texts that suit students’ needs. The study also states some problems that may encounter teachers in adopting literature as a way of teaching. All these issues are discussed through conducting qualitative interviews with three English teachers. This study points out that literature has been used as a paramount tool for teaching English. By reading literary books, students’ knowledge about social and cultural issues is developed and their language skills also become better. Furthermore, teachers mention that there are several central criteria to note when using literature during the process of teaching literature, such as selecting literary materials with topics that students can find interesting to work with. Different kinds of tasks have been assigned to students to get the opportunity to describe, analyse and reflect upon what they worked with.  Some of the challenges identified by the teachers are lack of time and the students’ different skill levels. More studies are required regarding the efficacy of using literature as a helping educational tool in English language learning from students’ views, in particular considering individual and linguistic improvement.

In South Africa, the topic of reading has been of great interest on the development of language since it has been estimated that 12 million learners will go through the education system per year. A key concern for all these learners is language. The majority of South African learners do not speak English as their home language, yet the dominant language of learning and teaching (LoLT) is English. It is important for these learners to become fluent in the LoLT as the future of education is dependent upon it. South Africa has been struggling since 2001 to implement a programme in schools that will improve the Literacy abilities of learners. An in-depth study was undertaken to determine whether the THRASS methodology would possibly improve the reading and spelling abilities of Grade 2 English second learners at an inner city school in Pretoria. The research explored the reading and spelling difficulties encountered by these learners. A profile of the Grade 2 English second language learner was compiled. An understanding of how the THRASS programme works has been included. The results from the research indicated that the reading abilities of the Grade 2 learners had improved, however, there was not a significant difference in their spelling abilities. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Det finns mycket forskning om skönlitteratur i undervisningen och vilka fördelar det ger att använda barn- och ungdomslitteratur i undervisningen av engelska som andraspråk. Däremot verkar barn- och ungdomslitteratur användas i engelskundervisningen i begränsad omfattning och de aktiva lärare jag mött under min lärarutbildning använder främst läromedel. Denna studie syftar därför till att genom intervjuer undersöka lärares arbete med barn- och ungdomslitteratur inom ämnet engelska i grundskolans årskurs 4–6, vilken typ av litteratur de använder och hur de arbetar med barn- och ungdomslitteratur i engelskundervisningen. Dessutom undersöker studien vilka effekter användning av barn- och ungdomslitteratur kan ha för elevers språkutveckling. Datainsamling gjordes i form av fyra intervjuer med engelsklärare för årskurs 4–6. Studien har sin teoretiska utgångspunkt i det sociokulturella perspektivet och materialet har analyserats utifrån en fenomenografisk ansats. Där studiens mål var att undersöka lärares förhållningssätt och uppfattningar om barn- och ungdomslitteratur i undervisning och nå en fördjupad förståelse för ämnesområdet. Resultatet visar att alla respondenter till viss mån använder sig av barn- och ungdomslitteratur i engelskundervisningen för elever i årskurs 4–6 och att de ser flera fördelar med det, så som variation i engelskundervisningen och ökad läsmotivation. Resultatet visar även en enighet om att läsning av skönlitteratur och arbete med barn- och ungdomslitteratur har effekter för elevernas språkutveckling och att de utvecklar olika förmågor och kompentenser. Studien strävar efter att uppmuntra och inspirera såväl blivande som yrkesverksamma grundskollärare i engelska till att våga använda barn- och ungdomslitteratur i sin engelskundervisning.

The purpose of the survey is to increase through interviews the knowledge of how active teachers value reading aloud and how this is reflected in their teaching. The focus is then to find out how they plan the reading aloud and in what perspective they focus on it and in what way teachers believe that students benefit from reading aloud as a form of teaching.   The theoretical approach this study is based on is the sociocultural perspective on learning, which means that the most important thing/tool in learning is the interaction between people. The method chosen for this study is semi-structured qualitative interviews and the empirical material has been collected with help from eight active teachers working in years 1-3.   This study shows what research says about the importance of reading aloud for student’s vocabulary and reading comprehension, how reading aloud can get the class a better connection among/between students, also time and planning around reading aloud.   The results show that all teachers use reading aloud as a form of teaching continuously, the purpose and working method around reading aloud varies. However, all teachers agree that the purpose of reading aloud is primarily to develop student’s vocabulary and reading comprehension. The majority of teachers believe that reading aloud also is a relaxing moment for the students, which contradicts what previous research. / Syftet med undersökningen är att genom intervjuer utöka kunskapen om hur verksamma lärare värderar högläsning och hur detta återspeglas i deras undervisning. Fokus är då att ta reda på hur väl de planerar högläsningen och vilken plats den får i undervisningen samt på vilket sätt lärare anser att elever gynnas av högläsning som undervisningsform.      Den teoretiska ansats som denna undersökning bygger på är det sociokulturella perspektivet på lärande, vilket innebär att det viktigaste redskapet för att lärande ska kunna ske är genom interaktionen mellan människor. Metoden som valts till denna undersökning är semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer och det empiriska materialet har samlats in med hjälp av åtta verksamma lärare som arbetar i åk 1-3.    Studien tar upp vad forskning säger om högläsningens betydelse för elevers ordförråd och läsförståelse, hur högläsning kan främja gemenskapen bland elever samt lärarens tid och planering kring högläsning.    Resultatet visar bland annat, att samtliga lärare använder sig av högläsning som undervisningsform kontinuerligt varje vecka men att syftet och arbetssättet kring högläsningstillfället varierar. Alla lärare är dock eniga om att syftet med högläsning är främst att utveckla elevernas ordförråd och läsförståelse. Däremot anser merparten av lärarna att högläsning även fungerar som en lugnande stund för eleverna, vilket motsätter tidigare forskning.