Prerequisites for emergent literacy in Swedish preschools

The study investigates existing practices related to reading and writing training in Swedish kindergartens, with a focus on the environment, reading aloud and emergent writing. The research questions are: 1) What are the prerequisites for reading in the kindergarten literacy environment? 2) What reading and writing activities occur and how are these carried out? 3) How often do reading and writing activities occur?

The study revealed considerable variation in the prerequisites for literacy development in Swedish kindergartens. The availability of books varied widely between kindergartens, and many lacked books in languages other than Swedish, despite there being a high proportion of multilingual children. Reading aloud was limited, and there was little focus on dialogue around the reading. Writing activities were even less common, often justified by the belief that the children were too young. There is no clear answer to how often reading and writing activities occur, but a lack of such activities was identified in many kindergartens. Teachers’ prioritisations and understanding of emergent reading and writing training, as well as access to resources such as books and multilingual staff, play an important role in children’s literacy development.

The data collection in this study consisted of observations carried out by student teachers from Mid Sweden University in Sweden. The sample consisted of 435 observations from kindergartens in 80 Swedish municipalities, spread throughout the country. The data collection was carried out between 2017 and 2020, twice a year. Each observation covered an entire day in a kindergarten group, and the students used a structured observation protocol developed by the researchers. In addition to the observation protocol, the students collected data on the proportion of employees with Swedish preschool teacher training in each municipality.

Dahlström, H., Damber, U., & Rasmusson, M. (2023). Prerequisites for emergent literacy in Swedish preschools. Early Child Development and Care, 193(13-14), 1417–1433.