Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this development project was to explore a reorganized reading corner that encourages translanguaging for children aged 1–3. I wanted to bridge the gap between what the Swedish curriculum (Lpfö 18) states about multilingualism and what actually happens in daily preschool practice.

Theory

The development project is based on a sociocultural perspective (Säljö, 2010), where language and the physical environment are seen as mediating, scaffolding, the zone of proximal development (ZPD) to understand how the reading corner and teacher interaction could support children’s language use and meaning making.

Method

The study followed an action research spiral consisting of two cycles. The reading corner was physically reorganized, and two observations (Cycle 1 and Cycle 2) were conducted with two educators and five children aged 1–3. Empirical data was collected through video recordings, a logbook for writing down my reflections and observations, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis alternated between theory and empirical data. AI-based language support was used to improve clarity, but all ideas and analyses are my own.

Results

By placing multilingual books on low shelves, the children were given the opportunity to engage with them independently. The children used both their mother tongues and English during read-aloud sessions, but their engagement increased the most when the educator actively acknowledged their languages. In Cycle 1, where the children’s own words were not noticed, participation decreased. In Cycle 2, this changed; when the educator paused, switched between languages, and picked up on the children’s expressions, it led to greater engagement. Through reflection, the educators learned more about translanguaging, but both felt that they need more practical practice.