Flerspråkighet i förskolan : En kvalitativ intervjustudie om förskollärares strategier för att främja flerspråkiga barns språkutveckling

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study is to gain deeper knowledge on how Pre-school teachers work to stimulate language development with children who are multilingual. This study was conducted through qualitative interviews with seven Pre-school teachers who all work with multilingual children. The data of this study was then analyzed using a phenomenographic method approach and analysis model. By using a phenomenographic method approach I could gain knowledge about Pre-school teachers’ perception on how to support and stimulate multilingual children’s language development. The result showed that there are various perceptions on how to work with linguistic diversity and how to work with multilingual children’s language development. The result also show that Pre-school teachers’ use a variety of different strategies to support and stimulate the language development. Among other things the result showed that by having a genuine interest in the children’s different languages and raising awareness about multilingualism are means of promoting language development. Furthermore, the result showed that different supportive strategies may be used to promote language development. Examples of these include signing as augmentative and alternative communication (SAAC), image support and communication maps. The study also sheds light upon the Pre-school teachers’ different perceptions on what they find challenging as opposed to the opportunities that may be found when working with children’s multilingualism. The result showed that one perception was multilingual colleagues could be seen both as a challenge and opportunity in the work with language development of multilingual children.