Purpose
The study investigates how and in what ways teaching, based on the Swedish kindergarten curriculum, is designed and benefits from kindergarten children being divided into age-homogenous or age-mixed groups. The research question is: How and in what ways do kindergarten teachers perceive that the kindergarten curriculum (Swedish National Agency for Education 2018) is implemented in age-homogeneous versus age-mixed groups?
Result
The results show that children in age-mixed groups are highlighted as a greater resource than children in age-homogenous groups. In the age-homogenous groups, the teaching seems to be more governed by the interests of the adults. In the age-mixed groups, there is also more time for spontaneous teaching. In age-homogenous groups, the environment can be better adapted to the needs of a particular age group, which argues against there being a greater degree of adult control in these groups. In age-homogenous groups, it takes more time to build relationships, since the groups are divided up/moved more often. The researchers emphasise that it seems that personal preferences govern kindergarten teachers’ opinions about which model of group division benefits children the most.
Design
The data material consists of focus group discussions with 21 kindergarten teachers from four kindergartens. Two of the kindergartens had age-homogenous groups of children and two of the kindergartens had age-mixed groups.
References
Bäckman, K. & Magnusson, L. O. (2020). “Undervisning i åldershomogena och åldersblandade barngrupper i förskolan». FoU-rapport. Högskolan i Gävle.