This study explores the question, how do Karlstad University (KAU) preschool teacher education students perceive their course materials in relation to internationalisation and intercultural practice? Questionnaires were administered through the Survey and Report tool to all students in the program. Out of 648 students who received the questionnaire, 94 (14.5%) replied. Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) is used as theoretical perspective for the study, with analysis exploring the CHAT elements of: tools; subjects; rules; community; division of labour; objects; and outcomes. Results of the study show that students recognized the availability of internationalization and intercultural perspective in their courses, and particularly valued opportunities to meet and discuss with practicing preschool teachers working in multicultural and multilingual areas. Results also note challenges with creating opportunity for students to meet students from other countries, either in Sweden or online. Some students also indicated they found it difficult to engage with English language texts that used critical theory or which differed from Nordic contexts. Our research suggests that Swedish student teachers value content which prepares them for working in Sweden with culturally diverse students, but place less value on higher education goals of internationalisation when these are not closely connected to practice. 

Course materials in teacher education programmes are one of the means to support student teachers to learn content knowledge and pedagogical theories. The materials are chosen to support their learning in a range of areas, and this article presents the findings of a study that explored how Swedish preschool student teachers perceived their course materials in relation to internationalisation and intercultural practice. Questionnaires were administered to students in a preschool teacher education at a Swedish university through the Survey and Report tool, and 94 students responded. Findings indicate that the responding student teachers valued content and materials for three key reasons: (i) materials that were localised, (ii) practice-oriented, and (iii) prepared them for working specifically in Swedish preschools. Identity as a Swedish preschool teacher (Swedish context and preschool teaching focus) appeared to be of greater influence in determining the responding students’ value of content than the higher education goals of globalisation and internationalisation.

This phenomenological study (Chellapan, 2012) investigates the perceptions and experiences of four sets of New Zealand parents with children identified as intellectually gifted based upon an IQ testing. The voices of parents with young gifted children have been missing from academic literature in New Zealand. Using a qualitative phenomenology approach, four sets of parents with a young intellectually gifted child were interviewed about their parenting experiences. In-depth interviews provided a rich picture of the experiences and perspectives of these parents. Although parents shared both joyful and painful moments of parenting, key findings included three particular areas of concern for parents: a) concern over misunderstanding and negativity; b) parents’ concern with gifted children’s intense behaviour; and c) parents’ concern with gifted children’s educational experiences. In response to these concerns, parents took on the role of advocates for their gifted children. The research findings draw attention to challenges that the parents of the gifted children face that complicate their parenting, including social stigma and limited access to gifted support services.

This article presents the concept of internationalisation and explores related discourses within the context of early childhood education. The provision of educational experiences for children prior to commencing school can be understood and enacted in many ways and such provision is typically country- and culture-specific. This article elaborates on the variation within which early childhood education opportunities are afforded to children and understood in the profession. Four qualitative, autobiographical narratives explore intercultural practices in New Zealand and Sweden, using aspects of Sorrell's (2016) intercultural framework to illustrate how internationalism links to early childhood education teacher education. The model's six key elements of (i) inquiry, (ii) framing, (iii) positioning, (iv) dialogue (v) reflection and (vi) action inform our perceptions and experiences as early childhood educators, and the influence of internationalisation on practice.

This research offers opportunities for intercultural dialogue of meaning-making in literacy by international early childhood, teacher educator (TE) staff, engaged with an assessment moderation process. The purpose of the dialogue was inform pedagogical and conceptual knowledge in their courses. The research question is how does intercultural dialogue inform TE literacy practices? Few studies offer the opportunities to examine literacy assessment across such diverse Western contexts as Sweden, New Zealand and Australia. Sweden and New Zealand are valuable early childhood in that they are both regarded as leaders in early childhood practices. Methods include a TE blind assessment review process using 30 examples from ‘high’ to ‘low’ exemplars of early childhood education (ECE) students’ literacy assessment annotations, some from each country,Textual analysis of intercultural student feedback by reviewing student forum comments and, semi-structured reflexive lecturer interviews on the assessment moderation process to elaborate on themes emerging from the paper. Literacy development contexts were examined and analysed against a moderation framework. Rich staff reflections have led to our recommendations that the conceptual framework of intercultural praxis could be applied in early childhood preservice teacher education practice (Sorrells 2016). Further, we suggest there are increased possibilities for the use of intercultural literacy to the attention of ECE preservice student teachers using virtual and explicit collaborations and texts as explained in this research.

This volume started with expressing concerns of what might challenge democracy in early childhood education (ECE) settings of today  – all over the world. We have, throughout the work as authors and editors, been more and more aware of the different ways early childhood practices are challenged by the contemporary issues mentioned in Chap. 1 of this volume. We have learned not only the fact that there are challenges but also gained insights into how ECE practitioners, children and researchers deal with these challenges. The subtitle of this volume says Engagement in Changing Global Contexts, and in this concluding chapter, we will further elaborate the engagement expressed by the authors. By referring to the conceptual framework from Chap. 2, challenges will relate to the different but linked dimensions in the democracy model provided by Hägglund, Löfdahl Hultman and Thelander (2017). Our lessons learned and our conclusions deal with ideas about children and childhood, about the way policies structure children’s lives and the everyday life in preschool for teachers and for children. As already stated in the introduction, the democracy model takes the position that democracy in ECE is influenced from the ideas and actions in all four dimensions of the model: historical views, curriculum and other formal documents, intentional teaching practices, and children’s arenas. In addition, democracy is challenged by content in the same dimensions. Each chapter of this book has presented an individual discussion and analysis of empirical research, and our intention here is not to repeat what has already been written but to highlight synergies and connections. The structure for this analysis builds around three concepts that we use to highlight what is important to challenge the challenges: reciprocity, togetherness and empowerment. We also argue these three concepts form new core values of democracy especially in ECE and as such need to be considered and questioned

Almost all gifted children attend regular early childhood education services or schools and so meeting the needs of gifted children is part of the everyday work of all early childhood teachers (Margrain, Murphy & Dean, 2015). Early childhood education in New Zealand recognises children’s right to quality learning opportunities and has a long-standing discourse around valuing diversity. Therefore, in a situation where early childhood teachers intend to make a positive difference for all, how is it that application of quality practice for gifted children remains elusive to many teachers? Part of the answer lies in the fact that teachers say they have received little explicit pre-service or in-service education on giftedness (Margain & Farquhar, 2012). Another part of the puzzle is the continuation of common myths and misunderstandings (Margrain, et al., 2015). A third influence is the lack of explicit attention given to giftedness (or any synonyms) within Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum framework. This article focuses on the latter issue, but takes the stance that although there is little explicit statement about giftedness, there is a large body of implicit discourse which provides a clear mandate for gifted education. Evidencing this implicit mandate is the aim of this article. The following sections provide: a brief introduction to giftedness; the approach to textual analysis used in this study; an integrated presentation of the Te Whāriki textual analysis findings and discussion; and some practical application

In 2017 I had the great privilege of being a Guest Researcher in Sweden and a Guest Professor in Germany. This letter shares how the Swedish opportunity came about, some reflections and highlights in a year that was a personal and career highlight.

This presentation shares research findings of three comparative studies conducted by five students in their sixth semester of preschool teacher education at Karlstad University. Three of the students had travelled to Capetown, South Africa, for professional experience, with concurrent opportunity to collect data. This data was them compared with data gathered in Sweden. One project comparatively analysed a series of photographs representing the inside learning environments of a preschool in South Africa (Svärd) and a preschool in Sweden (Royem). Another project supported preschool children to use a tablet to take photographs of things they wished to which illustrated how their preschool is in South Africa (Alvarsson) and Sweden (Engels), with subsequent comparative analysis. The final project (Lindahl) completed a text analysis of early childhood curriculum documents from South Africa and Sweden. The presentation celebrates the intercultural work of these student teachers through sharing their key findings.

This paper reports the findings of a survey of views on the early education of gifted childrenin New Zealand and identifies where challenges for professional support, resourcing, andeducational administration might lie. The 125 respondents represented a range of rolesconnected in some way with education and most (71%) also had first-hand experience ofcaring for or teaching a gifted child. Various views on how giftedness should be definedwere expressed, indicating that no agreement on a definition existed. Notwithstanding this,it was considered important to identify if a child was gifted or not. Talking with parentsabout their child’s abilities, along with formal and informal observation of the child were thepreferred methods for identifying giftedness. The findings suggest further research andconsultation on a definition or definitions of giftedness relevant to the early years ofeducation and the developmental characteristics of the young child is needed.Incongruence between what respondents believed teachers should do and what theyactually did in practice on a number of aspects of working with young gifted children wasfound. Respondents’ suggestions of resources included: ideas for extension activities;identification and assessment tools; and recognition of parents as an important resource forinformation. Written, online and media resources and the provision of teacher professionaldevelopment is clearly wanted and should help to raise understanding and knowledgeabout giftedness whilst also assisting teachers to more fully put beliefs into practice. Inregards to an educational administration question of where responsibility for giftededucation should sit within the Ministry of Education 74% of respondents thought it shouldbe brought under the Special Education section, though concerns were expressed theadequacy of resourcing in Special Education. Opinion was more divided on a question ofwhether gifted children should be permitted to start primary school before their fifthbirthday. This question generated the most feedback from respondents covering issuessuch as acceleration and appropriateness of the school setting for (any) children under-5years.

This article shares qualitative analysis of online discussion threads between student teachers in seven countries. The student teachers engagedtogether online to share intercultural perspectives and experiences on arange of topics of relevance to education systems, policy, teacher education, and childhood. In 2017, participating countries were: Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the USA. Through theprocess of discussing and documenting diverse cultural and educationalpractices – for example the age children start school, the involvement ofparents in education, uniforms, daily routines, inclusion, and technology– student teachers reflected on values, beliefs, traditions and aspirations.Findings relate to intercultural communication and intercultural praxis.Thematic analysis of 675 posts identified a range of open and closed discourses, and three intercultural positions. The conclusion of the study isthat online engagement provides a sustainable and accessible strategyto enrich interculturality in teacher education.

This article applies quantitative analysis of data from a New Zealand online survey on gifted education in the early years (Margrain & Farquhar, 2012). Questions asked participants about their role, experience, and beliefs regarding giftedness and gifted practice, valued and observed identification practices, valued and observed provisions, resources, beliefs about links with special education, and beliefs about early entry to school. A Fisher exact test of contingencies (with α = .05) was used to test the statistical significance of seven hypothesised associations. Analysis showed that current or past experience of caring for a gifted child was related to a differential view of giftedness, i.e. the view that gifted children can be differentiated from others as being significantly more advanced, above the norm, or among the very top percentile in some aspects. The finding was of statistical significance (p = .018). Analysis found no statistical significance for experience of caring for a gifted child and the following associations: a) views on whether gifted children should be given additional support within or outside of the teaching and learning programme; b) the position that gifted children should be included in the Special Education section of the Ministry of Education; and c) the opinion that some effort should be made to identify gifted young children. Analysis also determined that there was no statistical significance of association regarding whether persons with a differential view of giftedness were likely to: a) advocate the provision of additional support for gifted children within or outside of the teaching and learning programme; b) take the position that gifted children should be included in the Group Special Education of the Ministry of Education; and c) take the view that some effort should be made to identify gifted young children. There was a strong sense amongst survey respondents that there is a need to identify and provide the special support to gifted children, regardless of their current or past experience with gifted children and in spite of the lack of consensus over the conception of what giftedness in young children is. Although the notion of a gifted child was ambiguous for those without first-hand experience with gifted children, this did not diminish their advocacy for identification of and additional support to extend the gifts and talents of young children.

This study shares an analysis of early childhood curriculum text from five countries and two international macro policies, documenting implicit and explicit content relating to giftedness and talent development. Talent development includes the work of teachers in supporting children to develop their potential and future capabilities (Gagnè, 2015), and can be connected to the bioecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006).

Macro policy documents examined in this study were the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1989), the Salamanca Declaration and Framework (UNESCO, 1994) and national preschool curriculum texts in English from five countries: Australia, Estonia, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. Content analysis of the texts included counting frequency of pre-identified and emerging terms. These terms included gift, talent, compet(ant)*, abilit*, capab*, strength*, capacit*, succe* develop*, learn, expect*, right/s, respect, stimulat*, equal, equity, challeng* and competiti*. Next, the national preschool curriculum texts were interpretatively analysed to consider meaning, power and negotiation. Ethical guidelines provided by the Swedish Research Council (2017) and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (NHMRC, 2007) were followed. The text analysis relates to ethical issues of beneficence and respect.

The use of implicit terms with reference to giftedness and/or talent development in the analysed texts varied, but predominant terms used were develop, learn and abilities. Children’s, and all children’s, rights and opportunities were identified in the analysed texts, for example: positive expectations for all children; rights of all children to contribute and be heard; respect towards children; stimulating experiences in preschool; being considered an equal in preschool; application of equity to support disadvantage; positive challenges in preschool; and constructive competition. The results indicate a global as well as national commitment toward meeting children’s rights and needs, empowering children’s agency, respect, and fostering the learning and development of all children. However, our results also show an absence of explicit attention to giftedness and talent development, as defined by our criteria of five or more explicit rights included. This presents a risk for gifted children: the risk is that gifted children are unseen and not recognised in society at large as well as in preschools by preschool teachers and other staff members.

The study has relevance to Nordic educational research since it informs understanding of preschool curriculum texts from two Nordic countries and one Northern European neighbour country, alongside two Australasian curriculum texts, and two policy documents of global significance. Examination of who is included in a democratic discourse of ‘all’ is important in the context of globalization and social change.

In this study, we provide analyses of a convention, a declaration and preschool curriculum texts (from Australia, Estonia, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden) relating to talent development, giftedness and gifted children’s rights. The analyses indicate a commitment towards children’s rights and needs, empowering children’s agency and fostering the learning and development of all children as well as some but few explicit mentions (mentioned one, two, three or four times) of talent development, giftedness and rights of gifted children. Further, there is an absence of explicit attention (five or more mentions) of giftedness or talent development. This largely implicit attention in international and national macro policies may be applied with good intentions. However, when being considered in relation to lived experience reported about in media and research studies, gifted children do not always seem to be recognised within the aspirations of children/all children having the democratic right to learn and be supported towards their individual capability. Thus, implicit attention or few mentions in macro policies do not seem sufficient; the risk is that gifted children are unseen.

This book explores how concepts and values of contemporary democracy are variously understood and applied in diverse cultural contexts, with a focus on children and childhood and diversity. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches relevant to early childhood education, it discusses young children's engagement and voice. The book identifies existing practices, strengths, theories and considerations in democracy in early childhood education and childhood, highlighting the democratic participation of children in cultural contexts. Further, it illustrates how democracy can be evident in early childhood practices and interactions across a range of curriculum contexts and perspectives, and considers ways of advancing and sustaining practices with positive transformational opportunities to benefit children and wider ecological systems.It offers readers insights into what democracy and citizenship look like in lived experience, and the issues affecting practice and encouraging reflection and advocacy.

This book is an edited text of chapters, connected by a focus on contemporarydemocracy and on what challenges democracy in early childhood educationof today. Contemporary issues such as migration, refugees, changes in teacher education,early childhood regulations, transition and assessment expectations provideboth opportunities and challenges for early childhood education (ECE).Sociopolitical influences may mean that there can be a gap between democraticaspirations and experiences, including tension, dissent and power relations. Theseare challenges we are all aware of and often speak about as influencing implementationof democratic aims, children’s rights and agency espoused in curriculum andpolicy. As Peter Moss stresses in the foreword of this book, one of the main challengesto democracy is largely invisible and deals with political and economicregimes. From this view, the image of the child is a potential human capital, and theaim of ECE is to realise and fulfil sociopolitical ideas and images. A liberalistagenda manipulates the role of the ECE teachers from an adult focused on relationshipto a technical implementer of human capital development. Such challengesneed to be more visible.

Drawing together two key terms in early years education, 'Akobarn' is a unique word created for a teaching-research collaboration between New Zealand and Swedish early years academics and their institutions. The Akobarn project was initiated in 2009, with data collection for an initial literacy-focused project collected in 2010-11, involving staff and student teachers from Massey University, NZ and from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Interviews with nine higher education academics from found difference between Australian and New Zealand, and Swedish perspectives regarding how capital and lower case letters should be used in early childhood education (ECE). In each cultural context participants thought their own way was the right and usual way. Australasian respondents indicated that use of a capital letter was to only be used at the start of a name or start of a sentence (e.g. the name Ella). Swedish participants indicated that the full use of capitals was the more common way text was used in Swedish preschools (e.g. the name ELLA). Australasian participants added attention to how text looks in books, school traditions and conventions in written text (conventions-based approach), whereas Swedish participants attended to text in the wider environment, early childhood and family traditions, and natural choices children made from their own perspective (natural methods approach). The fndings support the assertion that writing and broader literacy learning is more than process, traditions are culturally and socially constructed, and mediated. Teacher awareness of differing literacy traditions is important if they are to respond to cultural diversity and globalisation. Because early childhood curricula give a mandate to respect cultural diversity, there cannot only be one right way to write text.

This research investigates traditions and theories guiding early childhood education (ECE) use of capital and lower-case letters in Australasia and Sweden. Nine higher education academics were purposefully recruited and interviewed about their writing practices, beliefs and theories: five interviews in Sweden, two in Australia, and two from New Zealand. Australian National and Swedish Research Council requirements for ethical practice were followed, including pseudonymisation.

Findings indicated consistent difference between Australasian and Swedish perspectives on how both adults and children should use capital and lower case letters (for example writing the name Ella or ELLA). Each group thought their own way was the right and usual way. All Australasian respondents indicated that use of a capital letter was to only be used at the start of a name or start of a sentence, even for and by very young children. They used terms such as ‘appropriate’, ‘conventional’, ‘right’, ‘correct’ and ‘obvious’, taking the view that ECE should follow school traditions to support children’s transition, and written text must follow the model of book-reading. However, Swedish participants all indicated that the full use of capitals was the more common way text was used in Swedish preschools, both as modelled by teachers and used by children. Rationale included that it is physically easier for children to write in block strokes, that teachers followed the way preferred by children, and that there were many examples of capital letter word use in wider society, especially in advertising. These contrasting perspectives can be connected to theories of literacy as social practice (Barton & Hamilton, 2010), and ECE/school traditions. 

The study has relevance for socially-just and inclusive teaching as we reflect on differing cultural traditions, assumptions about what is usual (or right?) in literacy traditions, how we enculturate children and families into writing, how we accept differing preferences and support individual learning. Increasing globalisation means that families enter preschools and schools with culturally diverse literacy traditions and it is useful that we critically examine our literacy practices to ensure that there is a focus on participation and inclusion rather than to limit right ways to write.

 Larson, J., & Marsh, J. (2016). Making literacy real: Theories and practices for learning and teaching. Los Angeles: SAGE.

 Mellgren, E., & Margrain, V. (2015). Student teacher views of text in early learning environments: Images from Sweden and New Zealand. Early Child Development and Care, 185(9), 1528-1544.

This research investigates traditions and theories guiding early childhood education (ECE) use of capital and lower-case letters in Australasia and Sweden. Our earlier research (Mellgren & Margrain, 2015) indicated that Swedish preschool teachers commonly write a name in full capitals (ELLA) but Australasian teachers instead use only the first letter as a capital (Ella). Through interviews, this study probed beliefs about modelling writing, young children’s own writing, teacher education, literacy theory and ECE practice.

Nine higher education academics were purposefully recruited and interviewed, amongst known networks of higher education ECE literacy expertise. Five interviews were conducted in Sweden, two in Australia, and two from New Zealand. Semi­structured interviews allowed respondents to discuss aspects of their own interest, expertise and theoretical understanding.  Thematic analysis of transcribed interview data uncovered articulated rationale for writing practices, beliefs and theories. Australian National and Swedish Research Council requirements for ethical practice were followed, for example use of pseudonymisation, and approved gained by an Australian university ethics committee.

Findings indicated consistent difference between Australasian and Swedish perspectives, with each group somewhat surprised that there could be any question of how written text was modelled. All Australasian respondents indicated that use of a capital letter was to only be used at the start of a name or start of a sentence, even for and by very young children. They used terms such as ‘appropriate’, ‘conventional’, ‘right’, ‘correct’ and ‘obvious’, taking the view that ECE should follow school traditions to support children’s transition, and written text must follow the model of book-reading. However, Swedish participants all indicated that the full use of capitals was the more common way text was used in Swedish preschools, both as modelled by teachers and used by children. Rationale included that it is physically easier for children to write in block strokes, that teachers followed the way preferred by children, and that there were many examples of capital letter word use in wider society, especially in advertising. It was articulated that the preschool could have its own literacy traditions, separate from school. They indicated it was important to take the child’s perspective, with the approach guided by the aim of writing. These contrasting perspectives can be connected to theories of literacy as social practice (Makin, Jones Diaz & McLachlan, 2007), and ECE/school traditions. Neither group appeared sure of their theoretical stands for the use of capital or lower-case letters in ECE.

The study has relevance to Nordic educational research since it shares information about Swedish preschool writing traditions and the role of ECE. The comparative analysis with countries from the other side of the world is useful as increasing globalisation means that families enter preschools and schools with culturally diverse literacy traditions.

This book is about young children who are gifted. It aims to change perceptions, build understanding and spread practical ideas and resources.

The main audiece will be teachers of children in the early years, defined here as from birth to 8 years old. Parents, policy makers, principals and researchers will also find the information and ideas helpful.

The book begins with the definitions and characteristics of giftedness in the early years. It then goes on to explore assessment, including examples of learning stories that illustrate gifted behaviour. A number of chapters address ways to support quality practice in early childhood and school settings. The final part is directed at the needs of those who are advocates for gifted children.

The authors are themsleves all passionate advocates for gifted children and have wide experience working in early years education. They draw on a range of overseas and New Zealand research evidence and literature and they share experiences from teaching and research on giftedness.

They hope to showcase what is being done effectively in Aotearoa New Zealand and to explore how to do things better so that young children who are gifted can reach their true potential.

This presentation topic outlines recent remarkable gifted education policy and research changes in Sweden. We outline a) Swedish cultural ambition for egalitarianism and traditional social negativity toward giftedness; b) policy and leadership changes within the last 10 years in Sweden at national and municipal levels; c) an overview of recent research grants and publications from Sweden, including a doctoral programme funded at approx. 37 million Euro; and d) implications for psychological wellbeing of gifted students and teachers. The aim of the presentation is to share a sense of optimism for gifted students and the teaching community which we hope can be useful to others. Lewin’s Force Field Theory plays a useful role in our analysis of factors such as alignment of policy and public agenda, and global-local needs. Our methodology includes historical review, literature review, and narrative. The findings of our reviews are that: gifted education can operate alongside ‘one school for all’ philosophy’; research plays an important role in evidence-based discussions; and investment in needed for teacher professional learning and local innovations. Our conclusions are that change operates on many levels and when social forces align, horizons expland and significant positive change is possible.

Teachers deliver curriculum on a daily basis as part of their professional work. Typically, teachers move outside of the classroom, or their regular classroom roles to engage in upfront professional learning. It is innovative to foreground the delivery of pre-written concept-based curriculum as a way for teachers to learn new strategies. It is also innovative for teachers to use reflections about these strategies as a vehicle to reinforce and synthesize the use of these strategies across their practice.

Delivering concept-based curriculum provides opportunities for teachers to respond to contemporary issues of social justice that arise in local contexts or which are reflected through global media. MAPPEN is a specific resource which provides teachers with access to an online curriculum repository that addresses mandated content in Australia through concepts. 3,500+ users belong to the MAPPEN curriculum community. The aim of MAPPEN model is that teachers can effectively and appropriately synthesize new information to use in their classrooms. MAPPEN curriculum supports education for a socially just world with the inclusion of broad conceptual learning sequences such as: ‘Our Sustainable World’ (foundation level), ‘Celebrating Differences’ (y1-2), ‘Someone Else’s Shoes’ (y3-4), and ‘Making Democracy’ (y5-6).

This mixed-method, interpretivist study analysed an archive of online teacher responses regarding their professional learning, use of MAPPEN and its potential impact on their pedagogy. 697 teachers contributed 2,106 reflections about what they had learnt, how they might apply what they had learned in their practice. These reflections were analysed according to keyword searches, tense, and thematic analysis. Initial analysis across the 2106 responses determined a useful differentiation between responses which we have categorised as personalised reflections and content summaries. This presentation shares the findings of the data coded as personalised reflections, identified through the use of terms ‘I’, ‘me’ or ‘my’.

In this presentation we share:

(i)               ways in which teachers directly connected reflections to their own practice and learning;

(ii)             reflections that include a commitment or a pledge indicating teachers plan to modify or change their practice;

(iii)            teacher insights about cross-curriculum usage of strategies; and

(iv)            teachers’ commentary on concept-based curriculum.  

Implications for further investigation include:

(i)     deeper exploration of responses from highly reflective teachers;

(ii)   the influence of school leadership on curriculum; and

(iii)  barriers to widespread uptake of concept-based curriculum.

This presentation shares how student teachers in seven countries came together online to share intercultural perspectives and experiences on a range of topics of relevance to education systems, policy, teacher education, and childhood. In 2017, participating countries were: Australia, Bulgaria, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden and the USA. Through the process of discussing and documenting diverse cultural and educational practices – for example the age children start school, the involvement of parents in education, uniforms, daily routines, inclusion, and technology - student teachers reflected on values, beliefs, traditions and aspirations. The experience also developed their verbal and visual communication skills – for most students in a second language. Swedish and Australian student teachers synthesized global findings as presentations, which informed local course learning of all participants. The global discussion is part of the broader International Project (http://www.internationalproject-ipc.com/en/).

This study explores how assessment is presented in Swedish early years’ steering documents and considers risks for young gifted students in relation to assessment (or lack thereof). Document analysis was undertaken on, firstly, Swedish curriculum documents for the preschool and for the compulsory school, and secondly, mapping materials used in the preschool class with six-year-old children. Results show that assessment is not a term used in Swedish early years curricula. Instead, preschool teachers are asked to evaluate their own practice; preschool class teachers are asked to engage with mapping and only to consider working toward later assessment goals in year 3 of school. A plethora of alternative assessment terms are used in the curriculum without definition. Giftedness is also invisible in the curriculum. However, the mapping materials used with six-year-old students in the subject areas of mathematics and Swedish do encourage teachers to consider children who achieve mastery early. Further, these materials provide supportive questions and activities for teachers to use in exploring further. The specific examples of assessment discourses and the need to consider gifted children are combined in this article to highlight aspects of teacher work that are important for the educational rights of an often-forgotten group of learners.

Giftedness is a special education need that can receive more attention in Nordic early years’ education. Here, we draw upon examples provided in early years’ research literature and on a new narrative example of practice to illustrate inclusive and responsive teaching possibilities where gifted children’s special learning needs are acknowledged. Gifted children have a need for specific cognitive support and a need for social and emotional support. Specific strategies to account for such support include curriculum differentiation, higher-order questioning, partnerships, and opportunities to work with like-minded peers. Through a framework for engaging with gifted education in the early years titled SPARK, with the elements support, policy, awareness, relationships, and knowledge, giftedness in inclusive education is illustrated and discussed. The elements were inclusively integrated in the everyday context of a Swedish preschool that caters for children with various abilities and needs. There is a policy mandate for teachers to engage with gifted education in Sweden; however, it is largely implicit, and more work is required before the special needs of gifted children are explicitly recognised.

A total of 659 photographs of text in early childhood environments were gathered by student teachers in New Zealand and Sweden, replicating an earlier Swedish study [Gustafsson, K., & Mellgren, E. (2002). Using text in pre-school: A learning environment. Early Child Development and Care, 172(6), 603-624]. The findings of this study support us in understanding student teachers' conceptions of literacy and the influence of cultural values. The text most photographed reflected traditional artefacts such as alphabet charts, use of labels and organisation of children. Richer aspects of literacy including children making meaning by reading and writing and use of information communication technology were photographed less often. The implication for higher education is that student teachers may need more time and support than assumed to develop deep and embedded understandings of literacy as a meaningful activity and experience for children. Universities, and the settings in which student teachers complete practicum, provide important and complementary contexts within which student teachers can develop this learning.

In 2023 the first large ECHA training started in Sweden, and in Scandinavia, through Karlstad University. In this presentation we will share how this program for an ECHA certificate is arranged. An important part is the so called Treffekt® which is an agreement between Karlstad University, the employer, and the participant of the training. Through Treffekt® the school leaders agree on supporting the participant throughout the training, and to plan for how to use the new competence. The training for an ECHA certificate is divided into three courses (15  ECTS). The first course is theory building in which the participants read, discuss and have workshops on different themes relating to high ability. In the second course they plan for an upcoming research study. In the final course the participants implement their study and scientifically explore their outcomes. The product is a scientific report about the study. We expect those products to become rich material that also benefits other schools and regions in Sweden and perhaps also for other countries. Ongoing offerings of the courses and collation of these reports will contribute to a valued body of work which in turn can transform local policy and practice.

We argue in this paper that, with appropriate support, teaching of highly able learner can occur in diverse classrooms. We draw on a constructivist theory of learning and a differentiation paradigm (Dai & Chen, 2013). The claim that teachers can orchestrate teaching for highly able students in diverse classrooms is considered with evidence of our own and other data, warrant, backing, qualifier and rebuttal. Results from many studies have given knowledge of learning needs of mathematically highly able learners as well as of successful teaching to meet a diversity of learners. Drawing on our research, and work with school development, we share ideas about possibilities for teachers to support learning for all students, that is, including the highly able, within a diverse classroom. In particular, we advocate the possibilities from professional collaboration and our practice examples illustrate this claim.

This chapter reports interview findings with preservice student teachers in Australia on aspects of quality in early childhood education (ECE). A total of 14 interviews were conducted with 5 interviewees in 2017 across a university semester, with 3 interview points for most participants, to capture the influence of higher education and professional practice practicum placement. The observations and reflections of preservice student teachers provide important evidence of how contemporary and historical views on children, childhood, and children’s rights as citizens are applied in contemporary early childhood practice. Our analysis of the interview recordings and transcriptions clarified that all the participants were in-between several concepts: certainty and uncertainty, plurality and uniformity, and personhood transformation. These reflections indicated tension between theory and aspirational conceptualisation of quality and the reality of experience and observation. The discussion of quality ECE indicated that the preservice student teachers intentionally searched for positive examples of specific practices and strategies, alongside their experience of varied quality in their practicum placements and their reflection of complexity in real-life practice. Positivity and responsiveness to diverse context are important in ECE professional practice; however, advocacy for children’s democratic rig

Predictions from theories of the processes of word reading acquisition have rarely been tested against evidence from exceptionally early readers. The theories of Ehri, Share, and Byrne, and an alternative, Knowledge Sources theory, were so tested. The former three theories postulate that full development of context-free letter sounds and awareness of phonemes are required for normal acquisition, while the claim of the alternative is that with or without such, children can use sublexical information from their emerging reading vocabularies to acquire word reading. Results from two independent samples of children aged 3-5, and 5 years, with mean word reading levels of 7 and 9 years respectively, showed underdevelopment of their context-free letter sounds and phoneme awareness, relative to their word reading levels and normal comparison samples. Despite such underdevelopment, these exceptional readers engaged in a form of phonological recoding that enabled pseudoword reading, at the level of older-age normal controls matched on word reading level. Moreover, in the 5-year-old sample further experiments showed that, relative to normal controls, they had a bias toward use of sublexical information from their reading vocabularies for phonological recoding of heterophonic pseudowords with irregular consistent spelling, and were superior in accessing word meanings independently of phonology, although only if the readers were without exposure to explicit phonics. The three theories were less satisfactory than the alternative theory in accounting for the learning of the exceptionally early readers. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.