Education of immigrant children at the level of pre-school class in Sweden : an empirical study of how the education of immigrant children is conducted in practice with the focus on language development

Abstract: The Background: Immigrant children have become an important part of the Swedish educational system. Their teaching and upbringing represent a very complex phenomenon that requires a special approach from pedagogues and country authorities. According to the Swedish state policy, immigrant children should have the same rights for education as Swedish pupils. They should also have the right to preserve and cultivate their mother tongue, as well as their home culture. Today we cannot say that the question of immigrant children’s education is answered fully. The school achievements of many immigrants remain unsatisfactory. I think that the situation around immigrant children's teaching in Sweden needs further research and elaboration. The Purpose: This work concentrates on how the education of immigrants at the pre-school class is conducted in reality. Its main purpose is to study how the education of immigrant children at the pre-school class level in two different communes is carried out in practice with a special focus on language development. The Research Method: To collect the data and analyse their quality, a qualitative research approach was implemented. The formulation of the investigation purpose determined the selection of a qualitative case study with practical hermeneutic interest. Within this interest an interpretation hermeneutic method was used. The research was influenced by an emancipation perspective. Within this perspective an emancipation critical method was applied. The Results: The investigation has shown that the education of immigrant children can vary significantly at different pre-school classes. One reason for that can be the qualitative difference of the communes, where the chosen for the investigation pre-school classes lie. Another reason can be the principle difference of the personalities of the teachers, who work with immigrants, their enthusiasm, creativity and desire for self-education. The study has also proved that the learning achievements of immigrant children in the chosen pre-school classes are not lower than those of Swedes. Key Words: Immigrant children's education, pre-school class, learning Swedish, mother tongue, bilingualism.