Language policies and multilingual practices in Icelandic preschools

ABSTRACT

This article aims at exploring family language policies and practices of immigrant families in Iceland as well as educational practices and partnerships in their children’s preschools. The article draws on interviews with preschool principals and teachers in three preschools in Iceland, and presents findings related to state, municipal, and school language policies as well as multilingual practices in these preschools. The findings indicate that despite the generally positive attitudes and interest in multilingual practices among preschool personnel, there is room for improvement in terms of more structured and systematic integration of the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of families, as well as fostering stronger partnerships with parents from different linguistic and cultural communities. Furthermore, teacher education should include both theoretical and practical knowledge of multicultural and multilingual education to better equip teachers for cultural and linguistic diversity in schools.

KEYWORDS:

• Municipal language policies
• school language policies
• multilingual educational practices
• partnerships with parents
• Iceland

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the University of Iceland Research Fund.

Notes on contributors

Hanna Ragnarsdóttir

Hanna Ragnarsdóttir is a professor at the School of Education, University of Iceland. She completed a BA degree in anthropology and history from the University of Iceland in 1984, an MSc degree in anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1986, and a Dr. Philos in education from the University of Oslo in 2007. Her research has mainly focused on immigrants and refugees (children, adults, and families) in Icelandic society and schools, heritage language research, bi- and plurilingualism, multicultural education, multilingual education, and school reform. Her recent projects include Learning Spaces for Inclusion and Social Justice: Success Stories from Immigrant Students and School Communities in Four Nordic Countries (2013-2015) funded by NordForsk and the Icelandic Research Fund and Educational Aspirations, Opportunities and Challenges for Immigrants in University Education in Iceland (2016-2018) funded by the Icelandic Research Fund. Recently published books include Ragnarsdóttir, H. & Lefever, S. (Eds.) (2018). Icelandic studies on diversity and social justice in education. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. https://www.cambridgescholars.com/icelandic-studies-on-diversity-and-social-justice-in-education and Ragnarsdóttir, H. & Kulbrandstad, L. A. (Eds.) (2018). Learning spaces for inclusion and social justice: Success stories from four Nordic countries. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. https://www.cambridgescholars.com/learning-spaces-for-inclusion-and-social-justice

Artëm Ingmar Benediktsson

Artëm Ingmar Benediktsson is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Teacher Education and Pedagogy, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. His current research focuses on analysing student teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education, culturally responsive teaching and assessment methods. He completed a BS degree in Geology from the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia in 2008, a BA degree in Danish Language from the University of Iceland in 2013, a BA degree in Chinese Studies and General Linguistics from the University of Iceland in 2020, a MA degree in Nordic Studies from the University of Iceland in 2015 and a PhD in Educational Sciences from the University of Iceland in 2020.

Renata Emilsson Peskova

Renata Emilsson Peskova is an assistant professor at the School of Education at the University of Iceland. She finished a B.A. degree in Andragogy and Personal Management at Charles University in Prague, an M.A degree from Universität Bayreuth with major in Intercultural Communication/German as a Foreign Language and minors in English linguistics and English literature. After teaching English and German in a compulsory school in Reykjavík for seven years, she worked on the PhD project School experience of plurilingual students: A multiple case study from Iceland that explored the interplay of linguistic repertoires and school experience of five students on an elementary school level who attended heritage language classes in community-based heritage language schools. Renata´s research interests include plurilingualism and multilingualism, linguistically responsive and plurilingual pedagogies, language policies, heritage language learning in informal, non-formal and formal settings, and linguistic identities. Her research is complemented by her roles as a co-founder and board member of the Czech School in Iceland and a board member of Móðurmál – the Association on Bilingualism.