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The overall aim of this summary thesis is to shed light on influential factors on children’s language, reading and writing development in didactic rooms, with a particular attention to parental influences. The summary thesis comprises three studies with aims and research questions related to the overall aim. The theoretical framework includes the Bioecological model for human development and the Person-Process-Context-Time model. In study 1, extracts from retrospective life-history oriented interviews with parents (N=27) constituted the data. In study 2, qualitative interviews with parents (N=11), all mothers, were conducted. In these two studies, thematic analyses were used. Study 1 generated nine themes. These themes reflect influential factors on children’s language, reading and writing development at home, in preschool and preschool class: Child’s abilities and engagement; Genetics and parents’ abilities; More able siblings and peers; Involved parents and grandparents; Teacher competence, attitude and collaborations; Social climate in preschool and preschool class; Free play and child-initiated reading and writing activities; Toys and books; and Extra support provisions and stimulation. Study 2 generated six themes reflecting influential factors on children’s language, reading and writing development, as well as general parental support to children in school grade 1: Talk with children about school; Handle school-related problems; Have a positive attitude towards school; Guide children’s reading and writing; Coach specific training; and Collaborate with school staff about children’s reading homework. In study 3, research articles (N=106) were identified and included in a literature review. The review had nine interconnected phases and comprised a qualitative inductive content analysis. Study 3 generated 11 categories which constitute valuable reading aloud sessions at home, in preschool and school: Choose a place, book and extra material; Ensure appropriate group constellation; Support transition and create a routine; Consider when, how often and for how long; Communicate expectations and encourage engagement; Read in an appealing way and provide explanations; Include dialogues; Teach how to read; Encourage cosiness and empathy; Incorporate movement and play; and Cooperate with one another. The synthesis of the results reveals through which interactions, with which people, with which objects, in which settings and occurring situations, and during which time, children’s language, reading and writing development are being influenced. In all three studies, guiding principles set by the Swedish Research Council have been followed. Influential factors in didactic rooms at home, in preschool and school, as well as implications, limitations and suggestions for further research, are discussed. The summary thesis has relevance for parents, teachers in preschool and school, and politicians, as well as others interested in children’s language, reading and writing development. 

The purpose of the study is to contribute with knowledge about what mothers describe doing to support their children in grade 1. The research questions are as follows: What do the mothers do to support their children’s education on a general level? What do the mothers do to specifically support their children’s reading and writing development? Eleven parents (all mothers) participated. Interviews were analysed thematically, whereby six themes addressing their support were identified: 1) Talk with children about school; 2) Handle school-related problems; 3) Have a positive attitude towards school; 4) Guide children’s reading and writing; 5) Coach specific training; and 6) Collaborate with school staff about children’s reading homework. The bioecological model for human development constitutes a theoretical frame and an understanding of what influences children’s development, for example, parents’ support to children’s reading and writing development. It provided useful concepts (e.g., microsystem, proximal processes, mesosystem, and chronosystem) for a discussion of the themes. The study is relevant for prospective and professional teachers in early grades, special needs teachers, other school staff, principals, policymakers, and parents.

Early reading and writing skills are important in order to develop and succeed, both in school and later on in life. The aim of this study was to shed light on influential factors on children's reading and writing development from the perspective of parents. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model for human development was adopted as a theoretical framework. The researchers made use of retrospective life-history oriented interviews with 27 parents conducted as part of a larger research project in Sweden. In the interviews, the parents described factors that can be interpreted as being influential. A thematic analysis technique generated nine themes: Child's abilities and engagement; Genetics and parents' abilities; More able siblings and peers; Involved parents and grandparents; Teacher competence, attitude and collaborations; Social climate in preschool and preschool class; Free play and child-initiated reading and writing activities; Toys and books; and Extra support provisions and stimulation. Implications are discussed.

The aim of this study was to shed light on influential factors on children’s reading and writing development from the perspective of parents. Retrospective interviews with 27 parents of preschoolers obtained from a research project were used. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model for human development and the PPCT-model were adopted as a theoretical framework. Extracts about children’s reading and writing development were obtained from the interviews. A thematic analysis was used and generated nine themes (preliminary results): Children’s abilities and engagement; Genetics and parents abilities; More able siblings and peers; Involved parents and grandparents; Teacher competence, attitude and collaborations; Social climate in preschool and preschool class; Free play and child-initiated reading and writing activities; Toys and books; Extra support provisions and stimulation. This study shows that factors related to the child, processes at home, in preschool and in preschool class and time can influence children’s reading and writing development. It also showed that parents can be a valuable knowledge source in Nordic (special) education research.

Syftet med den studie som ligger till grund för detta bokkapitel var att belysa tre mammors upplevelser av sina barns väg från förskola till förskoleklass. En kvalitativ forskningsansats, livsberättelser och en bioekologisk innehållsanalys användes. Studien visade att barns tid i förskola och förskoleklass samt övergången däremellan kan se olika ut. Den visade också att mammor kan känna oro för att deras barn inte ska få det stöd som de behöver för att kunna delta, lära sig och utvecklas i förskola och förskoleklass. Dessutom visade studien att mammor kan ta en aktiv del i arbetet med att förebygga och lösa problem i förskola och förskoleklass. De tre mammorna ville sina barns bästa och inriktade sina krafter på att de skulle få en så trygg och harmonisk tid i förskola och förskoleklass som möjligt. De ville också att deras barn skulle få intellektuell stimulans och nödvändiga behov tillgodosedda. 

In this study, parents told their story about their children; their children's preschool and preschool class; their children's educational transitions; and their own cooperation with staff. The views of parents (N=27) were collected by way of life story interviews. The bioecological model for human development was adopted as a theoretical, conceptual and analytical frame. A qualitative bioecological content analysis and a quantitative content analysis were performed. More than half of the children were described as typical in terms of development, while a few were described as being gifted and talented by their parents, and about a third had special educational needs. More preschools than preschool classes were considered to be high in quality, and more preschool-home collaboration than preschool class-home collaboration was felt to be high in quality. The following ideal type approaches of the parents emerged: (1) involved and concerned parents; (2) involved but unconcerned parents; and (3) uninvolved and unconcerned parents. The number of involved and concerned parents increased from preschool to preschool class. This study has relevance for preschool and preschool class teachers, special educators, policy-makers and researchers in inclusive and special education.