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Early Intervention for Children in Preschool – General and Specific Support

The aim of this study was to examine special pedagogical methods that are applied in preschool for children in need of special support. In this study the concept children in need of special support refers to children with identified disabilities and so-called grey-zone children. The definition of grey-zone children is “children without identified disabilities that preschool teachers perceive to be in need of extra support”.

The study has a mixed methods design based on 571 questionnaires and 34 deep-interviews with preschool teachers. A systematic literature review is also included in the study. The literature review shows that there is little research about pedagogical methods in preschool. The methods that exist are seldom evaluated or criticized. The interviews show that preschool teachers use several pedagogical methods. The results show six categories of pedagogical methods focused on language, motor activity, activities to express oneself, special programs, support from professional personnel and more time with teachers. Pedagogical methods that develop language were those that were most used in preschool. However, are methods based on language always best practice?

In the questionnaire preschool teachers expressed their need of inservice-training focused on work with children in need of special support, but felt that they could not find time for this education. Inservice-training is necessary in order to develop preschool teacher’s reflections on how to review and criticize their own practice. It is important that the preschool teachers get the opportunity to observe and reflect on pedagogical methods used in preschool in order to develop the profession and the practice. Through a strong theoretical base and experience, documentation, and inservice training preschool teachers professional competency and the preschool environment is developed.

Key words: Early childhood intervention, pedagogical programs, systematic literature review, pedagogical methods, preschool, children in need of special support, gray-zone children, inservice training.