För att utforska pedagogernas uppfattningar och arbetsmetoder kring att främja flerspråkighet i förskolan genomfördes kvalitativa intervjuer med ett urval av pedagoger. Intervjuerna syftade till att få en djupare förståelse för deras uppfattningar och erfarenheter av att arbeta med flerspråkiga barn. Genom en diskursiv analys samt av intervjuerna kunde olika tolkningar och förståelser av förskolans läroplan lyftas fram. Det framkom att vissa pedagoger betonade vikten av att följa läroplanens riktlinjer noggrant, medan andra uttryckte att flexibilitet och anpassning var nödvändigt för att möta barnens individuella behov. Studiens resultat indikerar att det finns utmaningar i att främja flerspråkighet i förskolan, särskilt när det gäller att kommunicera och involvera vårdnadshavare. För att möta dessa utmaningar är det viktigt att pedagogerna har en positiv inställning och nyfikenhet gentemot barnens olika språk och kulturer. Stöttning från pedagogerna spelar också en viktig roll i barnens flerspråkiga utveckling. Sammanfattningsvis visar studien att pedagogernas uppfattningar och arbetsmetoder kring att främja flerspråkighet i förskolan är komplext, men att det finns en gemensam förståelse av värdet och betydelsen av detta arbete.  Det framhålls att detta arbete är viktigt för att stärka barnens självkänsla och identitet, vilket betonar vidare betydelsen av att inkludera och synliggöra alla språk och kulturer i förskolan. Det finns utmaningar i att kommunicera med vårdnadshavare och tolka förskolans läroplan, men pedagogernas inställning, nyfikenhet och stöttning spelar en viktig roll i att främja barnens flerspråkiga utveckling. Högläsning och musik är vanliga strategier som används för att integrera olika språk i förskolan. Denna studie bidrar med kunskap om pedagogers uppfattningar om flerspråkighet samt hur pedagogerna beskriver sitt arbete med flerspråkighet i förskolan. / To explore the pedagogues' perceptions and working methods regarding promoting multilingualism in preschool, qualitative interviews were conducted with a selection of pedagogues. The interviews aimed to gain a deeper understanding of their views and experiences of working with multilingual children. Through a discursive analysis of the interviews, different interpretations and understandings of the preschool curriculum could be highlighted. It emerged that some educators emphasized the importance of following curriculum guidelines closely, while others expressed that flexibility and adaptation were necessary to meet children's individual needs. The results of the study indicate that there are challenges in promoting multilingualism in preschool, especially when it comes to communicating and involving guardians. To meet these challenges, it is important that the educators have a positive attitude and curiosity towards the children's different languages and cultures. Support from the teachers also plays an important role in the children's multilingual development. In summary, the study shows that the teachers' perceptions and working methods regarding promoting multilingualism in preschool is complex, but that there is a common understanding of the value and importance of this work. It is emphasized that this work is important for strengthening the children's self-esteem and identity, which further emphasizes the importance of including and making all languages and cultures visible in the preschool. There are challenges in communicating with guardians and interpreting the preschool curriculum, but the teachers' attitude, curiosity, and support play an important role in promoting the children's multilingual development. Reading aloud and music are common strategies used to integrate different languages in preschool. This study shed light on discourses on multilingualism to the knowledge of how pedagogues can work to promote multilingualism in preschool.

This study investigates teacher attitudes about language and education. The purpose of the study is to help program designers develop professional development efforts that successfully address some of the major identified challenges teachers face when transitioning into Mother Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTBMLE), including negative attitudes. It also suggests protocols and issues that trainers should consider when designing professional development for MTBMLE teachers. The research question guiding this study is: 1. Do teachers' attitudes towards and knowledge about mother tongue-based instruction change after they participate in professional development that is consistent with good professional development practice? a. What were teachers' knowledge and attitudes about MTBMLE before the professional development program? b. Did teachers' knowledge and attitudes change after participating in the professional development program? c. Why did teachers hold particular attitudes towards MTBMLE prior to professional development and what factors influenced their change? I conducted this research during a three-month MTBMLE professional development program with a group of indigenous first grade teachers and their school principals in Save the Children's outreach areas in rural Mindanao in the Philippines. I used a Q sort methodology for initial interviews conducted with a subset of five first grade teachers followed by a second interview after the professional development program. The interview data showed that teachers came into the trainings with two distinct viewpoints; mother tongue supporters and one mother tongue resister. After the professional development program, however, teachers were all more positive about using the mother tongue as the language of instruction. Interviews revealed that teachers were more positive and confident in teaching the mother tongue when they had the opportunity to: 1) spend time learning about their own language, 2) create mother tongue teaching and learning materials, and 3) reflect on their early learning experiences and experience what it is like to learn in a language that is not familiar. This paper will discuss the research findings in depth and will provide a clearer picture of how to train and support teachers who are transitioning into MTBMLE.

All multilingual primary and secondary school pupils have the right to mother tongue instruction as language is essential in developing our identity, expressing our thoughts and emotions, and showcasing our knowledge and skills. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the methods employed by mother tongue teachers to enhance the language development among their pupils and how they perceive mother tongue instruction as a school subject in relation to other subjects. The study takes a sociocultural theoretical perspective and is based on interviews with seven mother tongue teachers. The study’s results highlight the importance of mother tongue instruction as a basis for language development, identity formation and cultural preservation. The study provides an insight into the importance of mother tongue teaching, the didactic methods used by teachers to promote language development and the need for a greater prioritization of the school subject within the school curriculum as a way to promote multilingualism, increase intercultural understanding and contribute to a more inclusive and fair education system.The results of the study demonstrate that all interviewed teachers utilize various tools and resources to enhance students’ language development. This practice holds significance not only for the development of the mother tongue but also for reinforcing proficiency in the Swedish language. The range of learning resources encompasses textbooks, exercise books, whiteboards, digital tools, and letter cards. These methods underscore the importance of cultural and social contexts in language development, and play a crucial role in supporting students’ language development. Language is perceived as a tool for learning and knowledge advancement, wherein the mother tongue assumes a vital role in challenging students to formulate their understandings and critical thinking. Integrating current news and everyday contexts into education encourages students to engage in profound thinking and articulate their thoughts using their mother tongue. Moreover, the mother tongue is often juxtaposed with Swedish to enhance understanding and communication among individuals speaking different languages. This practice further strengthens students’ language competence and their ability to adapt to various linguistic and cultural environments.The teachers emphasize that every student is unique and operates at their own level. This necessitates that teachers understand and support each student individually. Teachers must adopt a positive and encouraging approach to foster students’ positive attitudes toward learning. Encouraging students to use their mother tongue and appreciating multilingualism as an asset is crucial. Teachers adapt their lecture planning based on the group’s composition and students’ diverse levels, aligning with the curriculum and individual student needs. However, challenges exist in accessing learning materials, leading teachers to create their own or utilize various internet sources. Assessments are conducted through written and oral tasks, allowing students to showcase their skills through essays, oral presentations, and discussions.The study highlights the critical role of mother tongue instruction for multilingual students, enhancing language development, self-esteem, and cultural knowledge. However, the lack of prioritization and low status of the mother tongue subject within the education system present a significant challenge. Teachers express dissatisfaction with this marginalization, emphasizing the need to prioritize mother tongue instruction as a key school subject. This prioritization would enable teachers to effectively promote language development, maximize students’ linguistic potential, and facilitate better integration into society. Research substantiates the challenges faced by teachers and the understanding that proficiency in the mother tongue enhances students’ performance across various subjects and aids societal integration. This underscores the importance of informed political decisions in shaping educational policies. / Alla flerspråkiga elever i grundskolan och gymnasiet har rätt att erhålla modersmålsundervisning och språket är avgörande för att utveckla vår identitet, uttrycka våra tankar och känslor samt visa upp våra kunskaper och färdigheter. Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att undersöka vilka metoder modersmålslärare använder för att främja språkutvecklingen hos sina elever och hur de uppfattar modersmålsundervisningen som skolämne i relation till andra ämnen. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt teoretiskt perspektiv och bygger på intervjuer med sju modersmålslärare. Studien belyser betydelsen av modersmålsundervisningen som en grund för språkutveckling, identitetsbildning och kulturbevarande. Studien ger en inblick i betydelsen av modersmålsundervisningen, de metoder som används av lärarna för att främja språkutvecklingen och behovet av en större prioritering av skolämnet inom skolans läroplan som ett sätt att främja flerspråkigheten, öka den interkulturella förståelsen och bidra till ett mer inkluderande och rättvist utbildningssystem.Studiens resultat visar att samtliga intervjuade lärare använder sig av olika verktyg och resurser för att främja elevernas språkutveckling. Denna praxis är av betydelse, inte bara för språkutvecklingen av modersmålet, utan också för att stärka elevernas färdigheter i svenska språket. Lärresurser inkluderar läroböcker, övningsböcker, whiteboard, digitala verktyg och kort med bokstäver. Dessa metoder understryker betydelsen av kulturella och sociala sammanhang för språkutveckling och spelar en avgörande roll i att stödja elevernas språkutveckling. Språket uppfattas som ett verktyg för lärande och kunskapsutveckling, där modersmålet spelar en viktig roll i att utmana eleverna att formulera sina tankar och utveckla sin förmåga att tänka kritiskt. Integration av aktuella nyheter och vardagliga sammanhang i utbildningen uppmuntrar eleverna att engagera sig i djupgående tänkande och uttrycka sina tankar på sitt modersmål. Dessutom jämförs modersmålet ofta med svenska för att underlätta förståelsen och kommunikationen mellan personer som talar olika språk. Denna praxis stärker ytterligare elevernas språkkompetens och deras förmåga att anpassa sig till olika språkliga och kulturella sammanhang.Lärarna betonar att varje elev är unik och befinner sig på sin egen nivå, vilket kräver att lärarna förstår och stöttar varje elev individuellt. En viktig aspekt är att modersmålslärare bör ha ett positivt och uppmuntrande förhållningssätt för att främja elevernas inställning till inlärningen. Lärarna betonar vikten av att uppmuntra eleverna att använda sitt modersmål och se flerspråkighet som en tillgång. När det gäller planering av lektioner anpassar lärarna sina metoder baserat på gruppsammansättningen och elevernas olika nivåer, med hänsyn till läroplanen och elevernas individuella behov. Tillgång till läromaterial utgör en utmaning för samtliga pedagoger, vilket leder till att de ofta skapar eget material eller använder källor på internet. En av pedagogerna använder även läromaterial från hemlandet. Bedömningen av elevernas kunskaper görs genom skriftliga och muntliga uppgifter, vilket ger eleverna möjlighet att visa sina kunskaper genom exempelvis uppsatser, muntliga presentationer och diskussioner. Studien lyfter fram den avgörande rollen som modersmålsundervisning spelar för flerspråkiga elever, genom att främja språkutveckling, självkänsla och kulturell kunskap. Dock framhålls bristen på prioritering och den låga statusen för modersmålsämnet inom utbildningssystemet som en betydande utmaning. Lärarna uttrycker missnöje med denna marginalisering och understryker behovet av att prioritera modersmålsundervisningen som ett viktigt skolämne. Denna prioritering skulle möjliggöra för lärarna att effektivt främja språkutveckling och maximera elevernas språkliga potential, vilket underlättar en bättre integration i samhället. Forskning bekräftar de utmaningar som lärarna står inför och insikten att kunskaper i modersmålet stärker elevernas prestation i olika ämnen samt underlättar integration i samhället. Detta understryker vikten av att fatta välinformerade politiska beslut för utformningen av utbildningspolitiken.

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This paper investigates educational leadership of an intercultural employee group in a large language centre providing first-language tuition in Sweden. The project is based on engaged scholarship (Van de Ven, 2007), which describes research in which the researcher works closely with multiple actors on different levels in an organisation in order to establish an overall picture. The views of both management and teachers with regard to national culture, language and norms are explored, in order to establish which intercultural aspects play a role in how leaders manage the heterogenous employee group. An important starting point for this research is the idea that individuals’ own cultures and norms affect motivation and engagement for workplace learning. A democratic, discussion based educational leadership style is held as an ideal in Swedish school principal training. However, “mother tongue” instruction stands out as an area within Swedish school provision as having a workforce comprised predominantly of non-Swedish native employees but that is subject to Swedish management principles. The findings of the study show that the intercultural language centre environment gives rise to difficulties in communication, target-setting and expectations regarding authority, while an educational leadership style with focus on rapport, personal development and trust helps to counteract some of these difficulties. / Denna artikel undersöker pedagogiskt ledarskap i ett stort språkcenter med en heterogen arbetargrupp som tillhandahåller modersmålsundervisning i Sverige. Projektet utgår ifrån engaged scholarship (Ven de Ven, 2007), som beskriver forskning där forskaren arbetar nära praktiken på olika nivåer en organisation för att skapa en helhetsbild. Både ledningens och lärarnas syn på ledarskap, kultur, språk och normer utforskas för att fastställa vilka interkulturella aspekter som spelar roll för hur ledare hanterar den heterogena arbetargruppen. En viktig utgångspunkt för denna forskning är påståendet att individers egna kulturer och normer påverkar motivation och engagemang för lärande på arbetsplatsen. Medan en så kallad demokratisk, diskussionsbaserad pedagogisk ledarskapsstil blir allt mer normativ inom svensk skolledningsutbildning., framstår ”modersmålsundervisning” som ett område inom svensk skolverksamhet med en majoritet av icke-svenskt infödda anställda som arbetar under svenska ledningsprinciper. Den interkulturella språkcentermiljön ger upphov till svårigheter gällande kommunikation, målsättning och förväntningar på auktoritet. Däremot motverkar en pedagogisk ledarstil, genom sin fokus på relation, personlig utveckling och tillit, en del av dessa svårigheter.

The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge about preschool teachers' experiences of working with the mother tongue development of multilingual children in a preschool with several different mother tongues. It is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with six preschool teachers, followed by content analysis as a method to categorize the results. The study is based on sociocultural theory, with concepts such as scaffolding, tools, and mediation. Other related concepts used are mother tongue, multilingualism, and translanguaging. The results of the study show a clear ambition among the preschool teachers and a positive attitude towards working with the mother tongue development of multilingual children through the use of various available resources, as well as engaging guardians in different ways. However, the study also shows some uncertainty among a few preschool teachers who feel that this area is challenging for them and needs further development. One conclusion drawn from the study is that mother tongue development mainly depends on the preschool teacher's level of ambition and experience in this work. Additionally, the number of multilingual children in the group affects the preschool teachers' engagement and focus on the mother tongue development of this group of children to varying degrees. / Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om förskollärares erfarenheter av att arbeta med flerspråkiga barns modersmålsutveckling i en förskola med flera olika modersmål. Det är en kvalitativ studie med semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sex förskollärare, följt av innehållsanalys som analysmetod för att kategorisera resultaten.  Studien utgår från en sociokulturell teori, med begrepp som scaffolding, redskap och mediering. Andra relaterade begrepp som används är modersmål, flerspråkighet och transspråkande.  Studiens resultat visar en tydlig ambition hos förskollärarna och en positiv inställning till att arbeta med modersmålsutveckling för flerspråkiga barn genom användning av olika tillgängliga resurser, samt genom att engagera vårdnadshavarna på olika sätt. Men studien visar även en osäkerhet hos några förskollärare som upplever att detta område utgör en utmaning för dem och behöver utvecklas ytterligare.   En slutsats som dras i studien är att modersmålsutveckling huvudsakligen vilar på förskollärarens ambitionsnivå och erfarenhet i detta arbete. Även att antalet flerspråkiga barn i barngruppen påverkar förskollärarnas engagemang och fokus på modersmålsutveckling hos denna barngrupp, i varierande grad.

This is a qualitative study with the pupose of investigating preschool teachers'views on the work with multilingualism, in order to make visible whether themultilingual children are given the conditions to use their linguistic resourcesin the preschool's activities. The study was conducted through semi-structuredinterviews with eight working preschool teachers. The collected empirical evidence was analyzed through a content analysis with central concepts from thesocio-cultural perspective as a starting point. The theoretical concepts thatbecame the starting point for the analysis were tools, mediation, the proximaldevelopment zone and scaffolding.The results of the study demonstrate that the participating preschool teacherswork with multilingualism at each preschool. They have a positive view ofmultilingualism where the children's linguistic resources are seen as assets inthe group of children. In the work with multilingualism, the preschool teachersdescribe several different ways of working that are relevant for language development and that can create conditions for the multilingual children.The results also show challenges with the work in the preschool, where multilingualism can make it difficult to understand each other and misunderstandings can take place. There are also challenges in challenging all mother tongues in the group of children, even those languages that only one or a fewchildren have as their mother tongue. This becomes relevant to carry on discussions about in the work team or with their principal in order to find formsof cooperation that enable the multilingual children to develop all their linguistic resources. / Detta är en kvalitativ studie med syftet att undersöka förskollärares syn påarbetet med flerspråkighet, för att synliggöra om de flerspråkiga barnen fårförutsättningar att använda sina språkliga resurser i förskolans verksamhet.Studien genomfördes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta verksammaförskollärare. Den insamlade empirin analyserades genom en innehållsanalysmed centrala begrepp från det sociokulturella perspektivet som utgångspunkt.De teoretiska begrepp som blev utgångspunkten för analysen var redskap,mediering, den proximala utvecklingszonen och scaffoldingResultatet i studien påvisar att de deltagande förskollärarna arbetar medflerspråkighet på respektive förskola. Dem innehar en positiv syn påflerspråkighet där barnens språkliga resurser ses som tillgångar i barngruppen.I arbetet med flerspråkighet beskriver förskollärarna flera olika arbetssätt somblir relevanta för språkutveckling och som kan skapa förutsättningar för deflerspråkiga barnen.I resultatet framgår också utmaningar med arbetet i förskolan, därflerspråkigheten kan göra det svårt att förstå varandra och missuppfattningarkan äga rum. Det finns också utmaningar i att utmana alla modersmål ibarngruppen, även de språk som endast ett eller ett fåtal barn har sommodersmål. Detta blir relevant att föra vidare diskussioner kring i arbetslageteller med rektorer för att hitta samverkansformer som gör det möjligt för deflerspråkiga barnen att utveckla alla sina språkliga resurser.

The primary aim ·of this investigation was to determine the influence of English second language instruction and English proficiency on the performance of Zulu children at Indian schools. A study into first and second language acquisition was undertaken, including the theories of second language acquisition. The empirical investigation entailed the collection of data through questionnaires. The null hypotheses were then tested using the chi-square test. The research results show that the academic performance of Black children at Indian schools is influenced by English second language instruction and English proficiency.. It is also evident that early exposure to the English language has a tremendous influence on their performance. Black children transferred from a mother tongue medium school to an English medium school, during the junior primary phase, are found to be at a disadvantage compared to their English-speaking peers due to limited proficiency in the language of instruction. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

A n o t a t i o n This thesis deals with the development of speech in children growing up in a bilingual environment. The aim is to explain the basic concepts related to bilingualism, describe in detail strategies of bilingual education and describe the specifics of speech development of children growing up in a bilingual environment. I would like to broaden the community understanding about bilingualism and summarize new ideas and information for parents who are considering a bilingual or multilingual education. Theoretical knowledge is used in the practical part of this thesis, which examines and compares the differences in the speech development of children growing up with two or more languages against children who grow up with only one mother tongue.

INTRODUÇÃO: Os exercícios de vibração sonorizada de lábios e língua têm-se se mostrado eficientes quando utilizados tanto no tratamento de pacientes disfônicos como no aquecimento ou preparação vocal. Há grande variação do coeficiente de contato de um mesmo sinal eletroglotográfico e dificuldade na sincronização da luz estroboscópica durante a emissão dos exercícios de vibração sonorizada de língua e lábios, sendo levantada a possibilidade de aperiodicidade de vibração das pregas vocais durante a execução desses exercícios. OBJETIVO: descrever a vibração das pregas vocais durante a emissão de vibrações sonorizadas de língua e lábios comparando-as com a emissão da vogal /E/ sustentada quanto à regularidade e amplitude dos ciclos vibratórios na eletroglotografia, em cantores eruditos profissionais. METODOLOGIA: Participaram desse estudo 10 cantores eruditos profissionais, que emitiram a vogal /E/ sustentada e os exercícios de vibração sonorizados de língua e de lábios na mesma frequência e intensidade durante a execução da eletroglotografia. Foi realizada a inspeção visual da onda eletroglotográfica, quanto à periodicidade e amplitude, além do espectrograma do sinal quanto aos harmônicos presentes em cada amostra. As amostras foram randomizadas e analisadas por 3 avaliadoras. Além disso, foram extraídas as medidas de jitter e shimmer do sinal eletroglotográfico para confirmação dos resultados, além da frequência da variação de vibração dos exercícios de vibração sonorizada. RESULTADOS: Os avaliadores tiveram coeficiente alfa de Cronbach em mais de 0,9 na maior parte das amostras, indicando alto grau de concordância. Na inspeção visual do sinal eletroglotográfico foi considerada na vogal /E/ sustentada: onda periódica com amplitude regular e harmônicos múltiplos da frequência fundamental. Durante o exercício de vibração sonorizada de língua e lábios foram consideradas onda quase-periódica com amplitude oscilante (frequencia aproximada de 23Hz e 24Hz) e harmônicos múltiplos de 23 Hz e 24Hz,aproximadamente. CONCLUSÃO: os exercícios de vibração sonorizada de língua e de lábios assemelham-se entre si e se diferenciam da emissão da vogal /E/ sustentada tanto nas fortes, quanto nas fracas intensidades. A vibração das pregas vocais são mais periódicas durante a emissão da vogal sustentada do que na produção dos exercícios. Nas vibrações sonorizadas de lábios e de língua a forma e a amplitude da onda Lx se diferenciam entre si, mas com padrão de repetição ao longo do tempo, próximo aos 24 Hz. Esse comportamento gera parciais de harmônicos que sugerem movimentação de onda mucosa concomitante à vibração do ponto articulatório (língua ou lábios) / INTRODUCTION: Lip and tongue trills have been effectively used as vocal warmups in the treatment of dysphonia and in the training of professional voice users. In a previous study, we found that the closed quotient varied widely during tongue and lip trills. We encountered difficulty in synchronizing the stroboscopic illumination with the vocal fold vibration during the trill exercises. We hypothesize that there is aperiodicity of vocal fold vibration during tongue and lip trills. AIM: to compare the vocal fold vibration seen during lip and tongue trills with that seen during phonation of the sustained vowel /E/, in terms of the periodicity of the EGG wave form and the amplitude of the EGG signal, in professional voice users. METHODS: We used electroglottography (EGG) to compare the vocal fold vibration seen during tongue and lip trills with that seen during phonation of the sustained vowel /E/, in terms of the EGG waveform periodicity and signal amplitude, in 10 classically trained, professional singers. The participants produced the sustained vowel /E/ and performed tongue and lip trills at the same frequency and intensity. The periodicity of the waveform and the amplitude of the signal were visually analyzed by three blinded, experienced readers. To confirm the visual analysis results, we measured the jitter and shimmer of the signal and the frequency of variation in vocal fold vibration during the trill exercises. RESULTS: Cronbach\'s alpha coefficient values were high (>0,9), indicating high inter-rater reliability. In sustained vowel /E/ was considered periodic wave and regular amplitude. In tongue and lip trills the waveform EGG was considered quasi-periodic and the amplitude of the EGG signal was classified as oscillating. The mean amplitude was as follows: 24.4 Hz during lip trills performed at high intensity; 24.7 Hz during tongue trills performed at high intensity; 23.3 Hz during lip trills performed at low intensity; and 24.3 Hz during tongue trills performed at low intensity. The jitter and shimmer were higher in lip and tongue trills. The harmonics seen on the narrow-band spectrograms were classified as being multiples of the fundamental frequency for the sustained vowel phonation task and as being below the fundamental frequency for lip and tongue trills, the mean frequency of the harmonics being as follows: 23.7 Hz during lip trills performed at high intensity; 24 Hz during tongue trills performed at high intensity; 23.7 Hz during lip trills performed at low intensity; and 23.2 Hz during tongue trills performed at low intensity. CONCLUSION: In terms of the EGG waveform, tongue trills and lip trills are similar regardless of the intensity at which they are performed (i.e., high or low), differing, however, from the sustained vowel /E/. The vibration of the vocal folds is modified according to the supraglottic movement in trills exercices