Research topic

The presented study is part of an ongoing intervention study focusing on the use of picture books, carried out in collaboration with principals and teachers at six preschools in Sweden, characterized of multilingualism. The study contributes to the pedagogical question regarding how experience-based and shared reading can strengthen preschool children’s language and commitment to read, constituting the aim of this presentation. This aim is formulated by these questions:

• In what ways might the identified processes enhance children’s language, i.e., all the languages they have access to in their everyday lives?

Research design and theoretical framework

The research project has an iterative approach with three interventions, each spanning a period of 6-8 weeks. The empirical data consists of a compilation of documented theory informed teaching staged in six preschool groups with children aged 1-5 years. The designed teaching was based on several picture books. Empirical materials as reflection logs, photographs from the text practice and notes from reflection meetings with researchers and teachers were analyzed abductively in following three stages with a conscious sensitivity to theoretical concepts.

1. i) language activities and communicative resources (Kress, 2010; Garcia & Kleifgen, 2020)
2. ii) identified central events based on recognition, enchantment, knowledge, and shock in the encounter between child, preschool teacher, and text
3. iii) stances during envisionment building and text mobility (Langer, 2011)

Expected result

The result emerges in themes of central events showing dimensions in early language- and literacy activities, multilingual- and modal resources, and children’s agency related to text mobility and envisionment building. Regarding children's agency related to text mobility and envisionment building it is clarified that there is no divide between bodily and verbally expressions and the exploration of these.

Relevance to Nordic educational research

The result will be discussed as a possible cue, given from the children involved, for teachers and researchers to draw in the continued research process, and in their future design of teaching striving for equity, a prerequisite for education in all Nordic countries.