Line Clasen

Practice versus politics in Danish day-care centres: how to bridge the gap in early learning?

It is essential that early educators in day-care services possess adequate pedagogical tools for supporting children’s communicative development. Early literacy programmes (ELPs) are potential tools. However, studies investigating the effects of ELPs seldom address implementation processes or the programme users’ perspectives. This study sheds light on the practices of Danish pedagogues when engaging in shared book reading with children with the aim of: (1) foreseeing the success of the implementation of the first Danish ELP; and (2) comparing day-care centres’ practices to Danish ‘New Nordic School’ (NNS) political statements on early learning. This study presents results from 18 pre-programme interviews with pedagogues and illustrates their daily practices prior to the ELP implementation. Results suggest that: (1) there is a potential gap between practice and politics concerning Danish practices for promoting early learning; and (2) certain aspects related to existing pedagogical practices may be foreseen as potential challenges for the implementation of structured ELPs.