Vardagliga beröringspraktiker i förskola och förskollärarutbildning – om normer i förändring

The study investigates the norms that are created, recreated and challenged in the everyday touch practice between adults and children in kindergarten. The research questions are: 1) How are norms about touch in kindergarten constructed in kindergarten teachers’ statements about everyday events in kindergarten? 2) How can these statements be understood in relation to the normative perspectives on touch that are expressed through past and present kindergarten and kindergarten education steering documents?

The results show that views on physical contact between kindergarten teachers and children have changed over the past decades. In the 1970s, touch was seen as a pedagogical resource for kindergarten teachers, while the current focus is more on protecting children’s bodily integrity. This entire range is also found in the approaches to touch that are expressed by today’s newly qualified and experienced kindergarten teachers. 

The data material consists of 40 semi-structured interviews with kindergarten teachers and kindergarten teacher students. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. In addition, the researchers conducted a document analysis of steering documents for Swedish kindergartens and Swedish teacher education programmes from the 1970s up to 2018.

Åberg, M., Hedlin, M. & Johansson, C. (2020). «Vardagliga beröringspraktiker i förskola och förskollärarutbildning – om normer i förändring». Uniped - Tidsskrift for universitets- og høgskolepedagogikk, 43(3):205–222.