ERIC Number: EJ1250368
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Dec
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1461-0213
EISSN: N/A
Perspectives on Bi- and Multilingual Children's Participation in Kindergartens in Iceland
Ragnarsdóttir, Hanna
AILA Review, v32 n1 p138-159 Dec 2019
Cultural and linguistic diversity of kindergarten children in Iceland has been growing rapidly in recent years (Reykjavíkurborg, Skóla- og frístundasvið, 2017; Statistics Iceland, 2017), creating challenges for kindergartens. The main aim of the paper is to explore how principals, kindergarten teachers and parents in three kindergartens in Iceland experience diversity, inclusion and participation in their kindergartens and what learning spaces and educational practices seem to be instrumental for their children's participation. The paper builds on data from the Nordic research project "Learning Spaces for Inclusion and Social Justice: Success Stories from Immigrant Students and School Communities in Four Nordic countries" (2013-2015), the aim of which was to draw lessons from success stories of individual immigrant students and whole school communities at different levels that have succeeded in developing learning contexts that are equitable and socially just (Ragnarsdóttir, 2015; Ragnarsdóttir & Kulbrandstad, 2018). Case studies were conducted in three kindergartens, including semi-structured interviews with kindergarten teachers, principals and parents as well as observation (Flick, 2006; Kvale, 2007). The findings indicate that the kindergartens have developed various inclusive and empowering educational practices to respond to the growing diversity. However, some challenges appear in the findings, including lack of sustainability of good practices.
Descriptors: Multilingualism, Kindergarten, Preschool Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Cultural Pluralism, Principals, Inclusion, Student Participation, Immigrants, Social Justice, Equal Education, Case Studies, Educational Practices, Indo European Languages, Heritage Education, Second Language Learning, Language Usage, Native Language, Administrator Attitudes, Parent Attitudes, Parent School Relationship, Classroom Environment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Iceland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A