Fokus på sprog - daginstitutioners indsatser for treårige.

The purpose of this assessment is to elucidate how the daycare centres plan, organise and handle the task of language assessment and conduct follow-up language interventions for three-year-olds. The study focuses especially on children deemed to be in need of a targeted language intervention. It explores how the respective daycare managers, child carers and parents experience the impact of the interventions that are undertaken and the impact of the follow-up language interventions.

The study shows that the child carers responsible for language feel fully competent to assess the language of children. The study points to the need for regular language assessments conducted by the responsible child carers to attain a level of routine and reassurance that will contribute positively to the work. At the same time the study emphasises that the process may be impeded if a task is tied to one or few people at the daycare centre. In addition, the study identifies a number of barriers to knowledge sharing between child carers responsible for language and other child carers linked to the child. Generally speaking, the parents accept the offer of having the language of their child assessed, however, they find that there is a lack of information about assessment results and possible interventions. The study emphasises that daycare managers could be more involved in ensuring knowledge sharing between child carers and parents.

Two Danish municipalities have been chosen on the basis of data from the EVA study 'Measuring language development' (EVA, 2008). The data material consists of written material from the two municipalities regarding municipal language initiatives and from interviews with daycare staff, managers and administrative staff. Language assessments, reassessments and action plans have also been included. The survey was designed and conducted as an impact assessment, i.e. an evaluation method that involves a procedural approach to impact evaluation.

Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut (2010). Fokus på sprog - daginstitutioners indsatser for treårige. København: Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut.