The purpose of this study is to investigate and gain a more in-depth understanding of how the concept of teaching is defined by preschool teachers and how the concept of teaching is applied within preschool activities. In our independent work, we would like to explore how preschool teachers define the concept of teaching and how teaching is applied within preschool activities. This is because the concept of teaching has been given a more significant role in the preschool's activities and that the role of the preschool teacher is clarified in the new revised curriculum (Lpfö. 98 rev. 2018, s. 7).  We will base the study on three questions which are: How is the concept of teaching defined in the preschool context?  What are the differences between the preschool teacher’s definition of the concept of teaching?  What methods and strategies do preschool teachers use to include children in the teaching opportunities they consider important for children’s development?  We will answer our questions based on the socio-cultural perspective and variation theory. Within the sociocultural theory we will focus on three concepts which are mediation the zone of proximal development and appropriation.  The results show that there are different definitions of the concept of teaching by preschool teachers, and that is partly because that the concept is somewhat new in the preschool education. At the same time, they consider that the concept belongs more in the secondary school, and not as much in preschool. This is in line with previous research that we have used in our study. When it comes to how teaching is applied in preschool, it is shown that preschool teachers always have a purpose with the activities and clear learning goals both for the planned and spontaneous teaching opportunities.

The aim of the study is to bring knowledge about how educators use their language to support children’s learning of water phase transitions in planned and spontaneous activities. Data was collected through individual semistructured interviews, eight interviews were carried out. The interview results has been categorised using an inductive analysis method. With the approach of variation theory, an analysis was based on the educators answers, where variations and critical features could be found. The result of the study shows four variations of language that educators use in planned and spontaneous activities about the phase transitions of water. The variations is everyday language, subject-specific concepts, simplified concepts and children's experiences. Educators consider changing language, where an everyday language is used and where subject-specific concepts are included as critical features. Asking questions and answering children’s questions was also considered as critical features in supporting children’s learning about water phase transitions.

The thesis adresses the play in role during spontaneous activities children of preschool age in the theoretical and practical dimension. In my mind I have play and activities, where children are not organized or managed and have possibility to freely decided what to do. The introduction of theoretical part of thesis focuses on the importace and meaning of play in human life with insight into the history of games and lists some of its theories. The work is based on theory pf Jean Piaget, who conect the child's play with its intellectual evolution. The second chapter deals with the specific personality of the child of preschool age from the perspective of developmental psychology and development of society focusing on current needs of child to play. The next part of the thesis is related to basic characteristics of current- day nursery schools with respect pre - revolutionary period. The fourth chapter focuses on the meaning of spontaneous activities in nursery school. It identifies the role of adult in these activities, the influence of individual and social differenties of children on play and how influence heterogeneity and homogeneity of this group. The theoretical part concludes with a chapter about the game in the role and its significance for pre-school child. The practical part of the thesis...