Hvilke interesser synes å motivere femåringer til å skrive i barnehagen?

According to the Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (2006), kindergarten staff must support children’s writing skills. On this basis, the article investigates what motivates children to write at kindergartens. The article is based on a qualitative study of the informal situations at kindergartens, involving children’s writing. Based on Kress’ (1997, 2003) concept of interest, the authors present four categories discussed in relation to the aim to increase children’s motivation to write. Focus of the observations is on the social interaction between children and adults and the impacts of the physical frameworks on writing.

Children have different motives for beginning to write. The study localises four categories, influencing children’s desire to write: Establishing identity, exploring everyday experiences, creating an aesthetic expression and being together. Establishing identity seems
to be an aspect which is difficult to distinguish from the others. In one kindergarten, writing sessions were often carried out at one of the tables in the common room, and in another kindergarten sessions were at the table in the kitchen. In both kindergartens, children had easy access to paper, colours and pencils, and were therefore not dependent on help from adults in order to start drawing and/or writing. The tables were also accessible for all children, irrespective of age, and therefore activities at the tables were characterised by different ages. The presence of adults was significant for whether the children were engaged in their drawings or writing, as they were often the recipients or co-creators of the writing.

Data material in this article was collected via qualitative methodologies consisting of field notes, observations of five-year-olds and interviews with social pedagogues. 

Hopperstad, M. H.; Lorentzen, R. T.; Semundseth, M. (2009). Hvilke interesser synes å motivere femåringer til å skrive i barnehagen?. Tidsskriftet FoU i praksis, 3(2), S. 45-63.