Sprogtest – når ord får betydning?: Analyser af hvilke samspil der opstår mellem standardisering af sprogtest til treårige børn og pædagogisk praksis.

This PhD dissertation is designed as a monograph that examines language tests of Danish children at daycare centres. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyse the interactions between the standardisation of the language test of three-year-old children and pedagogical practices within the daycare area. Firstly, the study examines how a language test recommended by the government has been disseminated and standardised as a method to assess children's language in municipalities and at daycare centres. Secondly, the study examines how the language test has been incorporated in kindergartens' everyday practices and work on language, and how this work is incorporated in negotiations with external municipal stakeholders.

The first part of the dissertation shows how the language test, as a method to assess the language of young children, is standardised and disseminated through connections between ministries, research and educational institutions as well as private enterprises. The dissertation indicates that the language test represents a special view on language as well as an understanding that children's linguistic ability (and to some extent also behavioural ability) can be categorised and measured unequivocally on the basis of a normal distribution. The next part of the dissertation shows how the language test (presented as an objective practice with measurable results) is included in pedagogical practices. The author points out that pedagogical practices are characterised by many other considerations and agendas (e.g. practical tasks and pedagogical activities), and that the language test is included in the early childhood educators' collaboration with municipal stakeholders such as municipal pedagogical-psychological advice units. The dissertation demonstrates that the use of the language test, as well as the knowledge generated through the test, are conditional on the situation and negotiated at local level.

Document analysis and field work. The field work includes observations of work on language (including language tests) at two daycare centres as well as interviews with pedagogical staff, parents and municipal stakeholders (e.g. municipal pedagogical-psychological advice units). The two daycare centres were selected on the basis of variation in size, staff composition (number of qualified early childhood educators and childcare assistants (untrained staff)), location and how long the daycare centres have existed. The study was inspired by neo-institutionalism as well as materiality-analytical, body-analytical and cultural-analytical perspectives. The analysis process is an interaction between empirical data and theoretical perspectives.

Schmidt, L.S.K. (2014). ”Sprogtest – når ord får betydning?: Analyser af hvilke samspil der opstår mellem standardisering af sprogtest til treårige børn og pædagogisk praksis”. Ph.d.-afhandling, Københavns Universitet.