Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine what characterises multicultural daycare centres in rural areas.
Result
The results show that most daycare centres in the study do not embrace and stimulate the cultural and linguistic diversity in accordance with the intentions in the national framework plan. Furthermore the results show that only few professionals at daycare centres have the relevant formal qualifications regarding language, culture and religious differences. Such qualifications would strengthen work in multicultural frameworks.
Design
The empirical material in the study comprises questionnaires filled out by 813 managers at daycare centres. The questionnaires include questions regarding the managements’ different ways of working with children and families with another language and cultural background than Norwegian . The statistics software program SPSS was used to analyse the material.
References
Andersen, C.E., Engen, T.O., Gitz-Johansen, T., Kristoffersen, C.S., Obel, L.S., Sand, S. & Zachrisen, B. (2011). ”Den flerkulturelle barnehagen i rurale områder. Nasjonal surveyundersøkelse om minoritetsspråklige barn i barnehager utenfor de store byene”. Elverum: Høgskolen i Hedmark. Andersen, C.E. & Sand, S. (2011). ”The Multicultural Kindergarten in rural areas in Norway – a good place for learning and participation for all children?”. Journal of Teacher Education and Teachers’ Work, 2(1), 28-40.
Financed by
The Research Council of Norway