This retrospective study, undertaken in Norway, examines how reading skills level in 851 fifth graders are related to how the children used their language skills in play and everyday activities as toddlers. Data were collected with the Norwegian National Reading Test and through structured observations by staff in Early Childhood Education…

We investigated how children with language difficulties are identified, and which adapted provision is given in Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) before referrals are made to The Educational Psychological Service (EPS), and the EPS assessment of such difficulties. A qualitative content analysis of 20 documents pertaining to four…

This study examined gender differences in the early mathematical skills of children at risk of developing mathematical difficulties. Of a total sample of 1091 children (49% girls and 51% boys), we observed authentic children who scored low at 33 months with the assessment material MIO (Mathematics, Individual and Environment). Cut-off for low…

This article examines how 1043 toddlers (534 boys and 509 girls) aged 33 months cope with various play activities, from a gender perspective. Data were collected through structured observation using the authentic assessment material "Alle Med" (Everyone Included). Each child was assessed independently by two staff members familiar with…

A body of studies, which are mostly based on parental reports, have documented gender differences in early language proficiency, and girls tend to outperform boys in both language production and language comprehension. In this study, staff in Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care institutions observed language comprehension, word…

The aim of the study is to investigate whether 33-month-old (toddlers) monolinguals (N = 902) and different groups of dual language learners (DLL) (N = 161) differ in majority language comprehension, Norwegian (L2). The three DLL groups vary regarding the amount of parental exposure to Norwegian. Language comprehension was assessed by authentic…

This study examines possible relations between early mathematical skills and motor life skills in 450 toddlers aged two years and nine months. The study employs baseline data from the longitudinal Stavanger Project--The Learning Child. The children's mathematical skills and motor life skills were assessed by structured observation in the natural…

This article discusses motor-life-skills in a sample (n?=?1083) of 33 months (2.9-year-old) children in Norwegian early childhood education and care institutions (ECEC-institutions) and to compare the findings with the results from a similar British sample. The Early Years Movement Skills Checklist (EYMSC) (Chambers and Sugden 2006) was applied.…