Title: Preschool – a social language environment and an arena for emergent literacy processes. Author: Martina Norling By focusing on preschool, as an arena for emergent literacy and language learning processes, this thesis put the lens on preschool staff´s approaches and strategies in the social language environment in Swedish preschools. Taking its point of departure in real preschool settings, the overall purpose of this thesis is to develop a greater understanding of this social language environment, with particular emphasis on the quality dimensions of strategies, such as the preschool staff´s sensitivity and approaches in the preschool environment. Two didactic issues are of special importance to the thesis: preschool staff´s descriptions of what kind of strategies and approaches they use in the social language environment as well as how preschool staff support children’s language learning processes in literacy-related activities. The thesis consists of four articles aimed at capturing, variations of dimensions of preschool staff strategies as well as approaches that contribute to highlighting essential strategies for supporting children in the social language environment. The theoretical framework in this thesis consists of social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1997) and bioecological theory (Bronfenbrenner, 2005). The four empirical studies in this thesis have made possible a mixed method design. The data production consists of questionnaires with questions regarding background information of the participants, observation instruments (scoring the quality of the social language environment), focus group interviews, video observations as well as a systematic literature review. In this thesis, three dimensions of preschool staff strategies in social language environment emerged: play strategies, emotional strategies and communicative strategies. The social language environment in Swedish preschool can be described in terms of those three strategy dimensions and continuous interplay processes among children, peers and preschool staff, over time. The quality dimensions of strategies focus, on preschool staff efforts and children’s prerequisites of learning processes, rather than focusing on children’s individual performance. Keywords: Preschool, social constructivism, bioecological theory, preschool staff, emergent literacy, social language environment, language learning processes

This study investigates what preschool staff include in the technology subject in preschool education, what content they view as relevant and how the teaching of this content can be organized. This is motivated by the fact that technology as subject have not been clearly defined, leaving the teachers insecure and unconfident about what to teach and how to teach it. In addition, preschool do not have a tradition of addressing teaching and learning the way they are now obliged to do according to the curriculum and many studies have shown subject teaching to be a challenge in preschool. Thus, the preschool staff’s challenge is twofold regarding the teaching of technology. The aim is addressed by a mixed methods design, starting with questionnaires and followed by interviews with preschool staff (daycare attendants and preschool teachers). The questionnaire was completed by 102 preschool staff members and interviews were held with seven of these participants. A key results is that technology in preschool involves building and creating. Emphasized is that children should be offered much and varied materials and that it should be available in the environment and inspire creative activities. Another key result is that every-day use of artifacts is viewed as part of technology education. Children should learn to handle artifacts by using them, e.g. pulling up the zipper to close the jacket or cut with scissors. These are activities preschool have always engaged children in, which the staff now name technology. However, there are variations in the result and there are preschool staff members who express a more conscious teaching where children are able to learn about things like the purpose of technology, what parts an object consist of and how these parts are connected, and about technological systems, e.g. how the water get from the lake to the tap and how it is purified on the way. But there are also examples where technology activities are used as a means for working towards the striving goals of other areas, such as math, science and social behavior. Implications are that preschool staff need to develop their teaching in order to work in accordance with the curriculum. A relevant first step is to strengthen their content competence in technology, but also, they need tools for how to teach subject matter like technology in a practice characterized by children’s own choice and influence.

In recent years Australia has seen a national change in policy focus for the provision of early childhood services. The change has been from delivery of a discrete education model of sessional preschool to a diverse range of services to families. This policy focus is reflected in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). There has been a move from a discrete preschool provision by the Department of Education and Training to a more cohesive early childhood approach by Children's Services Branch within the expanded Department of Education and Training and Children's, Youth and Family Services Bureau. The purpose of the study is to investigate reasons for, and nature of, the shift in policy focus and the impact on preschool staff in the ACT. The review of literature reveals that implementation of a more cohesive provision of early childhood services in Australia has not been without difficulties. These difficulties are investigated. The research is undertaken at an ACT Government preschool site. At this site the sessional government preschool and a community long day care centre are located in a purpose built shared facility. The research traces the values and practices of preschool staff in the sessional government preschool as they work in the shared facility in the first year of operation. Action research is employed in the form of a single case study, and guided by principles of Problem Based Methodology to clarify the issues involved and develop strategies to address a positive way forward in the ACT. The reflective, qualitative research provides the government preschool staff and the researcher with opportunities to develop and implement strategies to address difficulties. These difficulties are discussed in the context of the review of literature. Drawing on conclusions and recommendations from the case study, the investigation provides management insight into a way forward for more cohesive provision of early childhood services in the ACT.

The aim with our study has been to examine how preschool-staffs resonate about the notification requirements according to Chapter 14, section 1, The Social Services Act, when a child fare badly or is suspected to fare badly: first, in relation to the municipality´s policies, but also in relation to the preschool staff´s actions in individual cases. Our study was conducted by qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. Total has two child´s nurses and six preschool-teachers, active within Växjö´s municipality, been interviewed. The result showed that the municipality´s guidelines on the one hand, underpinned by giving a prescribed pattern of behavior for preschool staff on how to act if the suspected that a child to fare badly. On the other hand preschool staff also experienced the guidelines diffuse as there were nothing described of the transition of how much they should document and observe before a notification could be initiated to the headmaster. Noteworthy was that the munici-pality´s guidelines in this case was inconsistent with the provision in Chapter 14, section 1, The Social Service act. A report should be made immediately. In addition, the preschool-staff could not establish a notification, just initiate it to the headmaster, which is also contrary to the statutory provisions. Furthermore the result showed that the preschool-staff experienced more disadvantages than advantages with the duty to report. The results also showed that the preschool staff´s actions were influenced off various circumstances. The behavior before initiating a notification to the headmaster showed to differ in individual cases. This confirms the preschool-staffs personal discretion even though the duty to report prevails.

Syftet med studien var att öka kunskapen om hur förskolepersonal anser att projekt ”Giftfri förskola” har påverkat verksamheten. Sju verksamma inom förskolan i två mindre kommuner intervjuades. Med ett sociokulturellt perspektiv utformades intervjuerna och analyserade att det fanns både positiva och negativa konsekvenser av projektet. De positiva konsekvenserna var ökad medvetenhet, kunskap och kreativitet samt att det bidragit till en tryggare miljö. Den ökade medvetenheten visas vid inköp av nya material då innehållet granskas noga. Den ökade kuskapen har bidragit till ett ökat intresse kring ämnet kemikalier och det anses viktigt att handla giftfritt. Kreativiteten anses fått en större plats i verksamheten då alternativa material fick plockas in för att ersätta det material som slängdes bort. Den största positiva effekten som tolkas utifrån förskolepersonalen är att barnen vistas i en säkrare förskolemiljö då de inte blir utsatta för lika mycket kemikalier som innan projektets start.  De negativa konsekvenserna som visas i studiens resultat är dyrare inköp, färre material, felaktig prioritering och osäkerhet. Giftfria material är ofta dyrare i inköp, vilket i sin tur lett till att det finns färre material på förskolorna. Projektets prioritering ifrågasätts av förskolepersonalen då enbart material stått i fokus, men lokalerna inte setts över. Det finns även en viss osäkerhet hos förskolepersonalen kring vilken forskning de ska lyssna på, då det i efterhand kommit ny som visar att kemikalier inte är farliga.

The purpose of this study was to analyse how adults in preschool staff reason about circle time and its purpose as well as children’s participation and planning. The study was conducted as qualitative interviews with four adults in preschool staff. Results from the study show that the planning of the circle time is the responsibility of every adult in preschool staff and demands a grounded and a thoughtful view. The adult in preschool staff also claim that is important to have the children active and included in circle time and that they should be in focus. There are three main reasons why adult in preschool staff decide to have circle time with the children. There are reasons to encourage language, social and emotional development. The literature, however, takes up the collection's purpose is more about providing security, community and school preparation. The biggest reason they also point out the affirmation of the children. Both adult in preschool staff and literature speaks of confirmation and community but the adult in preschool staff does not speak about school preparatory activity that reason that they have set. The study also showed that there are ready-made materials for different kinds of circle time. Children's participation is something that should be the focus of the circle time, but the adult in preschool staff use too often and easy the ready materials instead.

Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskapen om vilken innebörd läroplansbegreppet ”enkla kemiska processer” fått i förskolans naturvetenskapliga undervisning. Empirin samlades in genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer av förskolepersonal, fördelat på sex förskollärare och fyra barnskötare. Resultatet visade att förskolepersonalen främst betonade undervisning om kemiska processer i syfte att förbereda barnen för framtida skolgång och ge positiva känslor för ämnet. Förskolepersonalen kopplade begreppet ”enkla kemiska processer” med undervisningsaktiviteter som är associerade med vatten, bakning, bakpulver, färg samt naturen som redskap. Resultatet visade även att kemiundervisning sker både planerat och spontant i verksamheten, samt att förskolepersonalen anser att kemiundervisningen ska genomföras utifrån barnens intresse och nyfikenhet, där det ska ske på ett lustfyllt sätt tillsammans med medforskande pedagoger.  En slutsats av studien är att förskolepersonalen har många tankar om vad ”en enkel kemisk process” är och hur det undervisas i förskolan, men att kemiämnet inte prioriteras i den dagliga verksamheten och att anledningen bland annat är att ämnet anses svårt. / The purpose of this study was to contribute knowledge about the meaning of the curriculum concept ”simple chemical processes” in preschool science teaching. The data was collected through qualitative semistructured interviews with preschool staff, consisting of six preschool teachers and four childminders. The study showed that the preschool staff mainly emphasized the importance of teaching chemical processes as preparation for the children's future schooling and encouragement of a positive attitude towards the subject chemistry. The preschool staff linked the concept of ”simple chemical processes” with teaching activities involving water, baking powder, baking and paint. They also linked the concept to changes in the natural world. The results also showed that chemistry teaching took place in both a planned and spontaneous way, and that the preschool staff believed that chemistry teaching should be based on the children's interest and curiosity. They believed that it should be undertaken in a fun way together with other involved educators present. One conclusion of the study is that the preschool staff varied in their interpretation of "simple chemical processes" and how they were taught in preschool. Chemistry teaching was not given high priority, according to the preschool staff, one of the reasons being that the subject was considered difficult.

I denna uppsats undersöks fenomenet kollektivt lärande kopplat till utmaningar och strategier i stora barngrupper på förskolan. Enligt tidigare forskning framgår det ett dåligt samspel mellan förskolepersonal och barn till följd av utmaningar och svårigheter med stora barngrupper. Dessa utmaningar är exempelvis tidsbrist, då förskolepersonalen inte alltid hinner genomföra planerade aktiviteter och svårigheter som att arbeta utifrån läroplanens intentioner när det finns fler barn i gruppen. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka kollektivt lärande och kompetens i förskolan, med särskilt fokus på utmaningar med stora barngrupper. Data samlades in och analyserades med hjälp av observationer och intervjuer med nio förskolepersonal. Resultaten visade att förskolepersonalens utmaningar med stora barngrupper var att uppfylla enskilda barns speciella behov och att ha tillräcklig med tid för att ge uppmärksamhet åt varje barn. Förskolepersonalens strategier var att samtala med kollegor för att hitta lösningar för barn med speciella behov, men också att dela in barnen i mindre grupper. Att hitta strategier för att hantera stora barngrupper är viktigt för förskolepersonalen. Brist på strategier för att hantera utmaningarna visade på mindre möjlighet för gemensam reflektion över strategier, vilket därmed inte främjade det kollektiva lärandet.

Enligt svensk lag har förskoleanställda en obligatorisk skyldighet att anmäla till socialtjänsten vid misstanke om att ett barn far illa. Trots detta uteblir många anmälningar även när misstanke finns. Syftet med denna studie är främst att undersöka och öka förståelsen för vilka faktorer förskoleanställda själva anser påverka deras beslut att anmäla misstankar om att ett barn far illa. Vidare undersöks hur väl förskoleanställdas tankemönster kring barn som far illa samt deras egen roll i "anmälningsprocessen" överensstämmer med de överlevnadsstrategier som definierats av Dr. Kari Killén. Studien genomfördes genom kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra respondenter som arbetade på samma förskola. Resultaten jämfördes med tidigare forskning kring ämnet och Dr. Killéns psykologiska perspektiv om olika överlevnadsstrategier. Resultatet analyserades och jämfördes även med det sociologiska perspektivet Symbolisk interaktionism. I sitt beslut om huruvida respondenterna anmälde misstanke om att ett barn far illa eller inte ansåg de själva sig påverkas av osäkerhet och rädsla att missta sig, stöd från kollegor och chefer, relationen och lojaliteten hos föräldrarna eller att föräldrarna t.o.m. byter förskola. De ansåg sig även påverkas av personliga erfarenheter (delvis av socialtjänsten), socioekonomisk status samt handlingsplaner. Starka kopplingar till både den tidigare forskningen, Symbolisk interaktionism samt Dr. Killéns överlevnadsstrategier kunde även påvisas. / According to Swedish law, pre-school staff has a mandatory duty to notify social services if they suspect that a child is mistreated. Despite this, many fail to report even when suspicions have arisen. The primarily aim of this study is to investigate and gain greater understanding of the factors considered by preschool staff when deciding whether to report suspicions of a child being mistreated. Their own thoughts regarding their tendency to report such suspicions are therefore further investigated. The paper also explores whether the thoughts of preschool staff regarding child abuse and their own role in the reporting process correspond with the survival strategies described by Dr. Kari Killén. The study was conducted through qualitative interviews with four respondents who worked at the same preschool. The results were compared with previous research in the field, the sociological perspective Symbolic interactionism and the psychological perspective of different survival strategies defined by Dr. Killén. 3 When deciding whether to report suspicions of child mistreating the respondents considered themselves to be influenced by insecurity and fear of making mistakes, losing support from colleagues and managers, destroying relationships and loyalty with the parents or even making them change preschool. They also thought they would be affected by personal experiences (partly of social services), socioeconomic status, as well as action plans. A strong connection to the previous research, Symbolic interactionism and Dr. Killéns survival strategies was revealed by the interviews.

Inomhusmiljön på förskolan är avgörande för barns lek, lärande och utveckling. Miljön påverkar hur individer interagerar med andra och bjuder in till olika typer av beteenden. Samtidigt blir barn sällan delaktiga och inkluderade i utformningen av miljön, utan miljön speglar i stället de vuxnas förväntningar och mål. Ofta beskrivs förskolepersonal vara de som begränsar barns handlingsutrymme och möjliga handlingserbjudanden. Syftet med föreliggande studie var därför att förstå förskolepersonals perspektiv på deras handlingar i förhållande till barns handlingsutrymme i inomhusmiljön på förskolan. Föreliggande studie är en kvalitativ studie med inspiration från hermeneutiken där semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts. Studien har utgångspunkt i Gibsons affordance teori och empirin har analyserat utifrån en tematisk analysmetod. Resultatet visar att förskolepersonalen är positiva till barns utforskande av miljöns handlingserbjudanden och att barn ges ett relativt stort handlingsutrymme i inomhusmiljön på förskolan. Förskolepersonalen beskriver sina handlingar som stöttande för barn, dock måste förskolepersonalen begränsa barns handlingsutrymme när det finns säkerhetsrisker eller när barn riskerar att störa varandra. Sammanfattningsvis strävar förskolepersonalen alltid efter att ge barn handlingsutrymme. / The indoor environment at the preschool is crucial for children's play, learning and development. The environment affects how individuals interact with others and invites different types of behavior. At the same time, children are rarely involved and included in the design of the environment, instead the environment reflects the adults' expectations and goals. Preschool staff are often described as those who limit children's room for action and possible affordances. The purpose of the present study was to understand preschool staff's perspective on their actions in relation to children's room for action in the indoor environment at the preschool. The present study is a qualitative study with inspiration from hermeneutics where semi-structured interviews have been conducted. The study is based on Gibson's affordance theory and the empirical evidence has been analyzed based on a thematic analysis method. The results show that the preschool staff are positive about children's exploration of the environment's affordance and that children are given a relatively large scope for action in the indoor environment at the preschool. The preschool staff describe their actions as supportive of children, however, the preschool staff must limit children's freedom of action when there are safety risks or when children risk disturbing each other. In summary, preschool staff always strive to give children room for action.