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No full textÁ frummálinu ber sagan yfirskriftina „El ovillo“ og birtist fyrst í bókinni La secta y otros cuentos (2000)
With the heart in the hands or in the trousers: About metaphors in spanish and icelandic phrases
No full textThis paper is a comparative study of phrases and idioms in Spanish and Icelandic. Our point of departure are some basic ideas of cognitive linguistics and semantics, and first and foremost the scheme constructed by the Spanish linguist Pamies and Iñesta (2000, 2002, Pamies 2001a) aiming at systematising phrases and expressions of diverse languages based on conceptual metaphors in order to establish weather they are universal o not. The article gives an account of the conclusions drawn from a comparision of idioms concerning FEAR, HUNGER and OVEREATING in Spanish and Icelandic. The main conclusion of the comparison is that the same conceptual metaphors form the basis of many of the Icelandic and Spanish idioms covered by the study.Í þessari grein er fjallað um samanburðarrannsókn á orðasamböndum í spænsku og íslensku. Útgangspunktur rannsóknarinnar eru nokkrar grunnhugmyndir hugrænna málvísinda og merkingarfræði. Hér er notuð aðferð sem spænsku málvísindamennirnir Pamies og Iñesta (2000, 2002, Pamies 2001a) mótuðu til að flokka orðasambönd í ólíkum tungumálum út frá myndhvörfum með það fyrir augum að greina hvort þau væru algild eða ekki. Í ritgerðinni er gerð grein fyrir helstu niðurstöðum af samanburði á orðasamböndum í spænsku og íslensku sem falla undir sviðin ÓTTI, HUNGUR og OFÁT. Meginniðurstaða samanburðarins er sú að sömu hugtaksmyndhvörf liggja að baki mörgum þeim íslensku og spænsku orðasamböndum sem rannsóknin náði til
Preschool out of reach: Parental experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textLítið hefur verið vitað um viðhorf foreldra leikskólabarna til leikskólastarfs meðan á heimsfaraldri Covid-19 stóð á Íslandi. Í þessari grein verður reynsla foreldra barna sem voru á leikskólaaldri þegar samkomutakmarkanir, lokanir og skerðingar voru við lýði í leikskólum könnuð. Þrettán foreldrar á höfuðborgarsvæðinu tóku þátt í hálfstöðluðu viðtali og deildu reynslu sinni með rannsakanda. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að strangar sóttvarnaaðgerðir sem innleiddar voru í leikskólum hafi verið í sér mikil viðbrigði fyrir foreldra og haft sterk áhrif á upplifun þeirra af leikskólastarfinu. Foreldrar greindu frá því að samskipti þeirra við kennara barnsins og aðrar fjölskyldur hefðu minnkað til muna og að þeir hefðu haft mun minni innsýn í dag barnsins í leikskólanum. Samhliða minni viðveru í leikskólanum og fátíðari samskiptum við starfsfólk og aðrar fjölskyldur urðu tengsl þeirra við leikskólasamfélagið veikari. Í gögnunum er að finna vísbendingar um að þrátt fyrir að faraldurinn fæli í sér margvíslegar áskoranir, hafi áhrifin á fjölskyldulífið að mörgu leyti verið jákvæð þar sem samvera og nánd barna og foreldra jókst. Rannsóknin varpar ljósi á breytingar og bresti í samskiptamynstri leikskóla og foreldra meðan á faraldrinum stóð, en afar mikilvægt er að leikskólar móti sér samskiptastefnu sem býr yfir seiglu og sveigjanleika til þess að viðhalda sambandi við foreldra í ófyrirséðum aðstæðum.The COVID-19 pandemic had profound and widespread effects on early childhood education and care (ECEC) operations and practices in Iceland. Preschools went through periods of partial closures, suspension of activities, social distancing, compartmentalisation, and strict disease control and prevention procedures. Researchers have given attention to the experiences of preschool educators during this time and, to a lesser extent, to the perspectives of preschool children. However, little is known about the perspectives of parents of preschool children on preschool operations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland. This article explores the experiences and perspectives of parents whose children were of preschool age during periods of lockdown and social distancing. The study is part of the Nordic research project EXPECT (Exploring Practices in Early Childhood of Tomorrow: Develop resilience in social sustainable childhoods after Covid-19), which is intended to generate knowledge of societal crisis preparedness by learning from the COVID-19 pandemic, building resilience at the preschool level, and supporting the welfare of young children.
Thirteen parents from the capital region of Iceland participated in semi-structured interviews and shared their experiences with the researcher. The participants’ children had been enrolled in preschool during the pandemic. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and examined through thematic analysis to identify common elements and patterns in parental narratives. The findings suggest that strict infection control measures brought significant changes for parents and strongly influenced their perception of preschool operations. Although most parents supported and followed ever-changing rules on social distancing, some regarded the educators as having unrealistic attitudes and resented the policy of sending children home with the mildest of symptoms. While most parents regarded the preschools as having successfully implemented disease control and managing to stay open in unforeseen and difficult circumstances, they sensed a drop in relational and operational quality. Parents reported a considerable decrease in their communication with their child’s teachers and other families, as they were in many cases denied entry to the premises. In addition, the preschools’ information dissemination increasingly revolved around updating parents on COVID-19 regulations, instead of reporting on pedagogical activities. This led to reduced parental understanding of the child’s daily activities in preschool. Alongside reduced attendance and diminished interactions, parents’ connections to the preschool community weakened. Some participants also perceived a decrease in pedagogical quality and ambition, as many activities remained suspended, even as regulations eased, and educators appeared to be exhausted.
The data indicate that, despite the many challenges posed by the pandemic for parents (such as being subjected to quarantines, dealing with preschool closures, and balancing working from home and providing care for their young children at the same time), its impact on family life was, in many ways, positive. Lockdowns and closures provided families with opportunities to spend more time together and engage in joint activities that would otherwise have been difficult to fit into parents’ busy schedules. Parents shared narratives of playing together, going on ‘teddy bear walks’, baking, doing puzzles, and playing various boardgames with their children. As a result, the parents reported stronger bonds and more intimacy with their children. The pandemic was therefore framed as a period of positive family memories. However, many participants reported returning to old patterns of working long hours, general busyness, and having less family time as the pandemic subsided. This study highlights weaknesses in the communication patterns between preschools and parents during the pandemic. It underscores the importance of preschools developing an intentional communication strategy that is both resilient and flexible to maintain their connection with parents in unforeseen circumstances
Understanding Women\u27s Investment on the Icelandic Economy: Influencing Factors, Barriers, and Motivators
No full textMarkmið þessarar greinar er að varpa ljósi á þá þætti sem hafa áhrif á fjárfestingahegðun kvenna í íslensku atvinnulífi, einkum hindranir en einnig hvetjandi áhrifaþætti. Greinin byggir á könnun meðal 316 kvenna í Félagi kvenna í atvinnulífinu (FKA), sem flestar gegna stjórnunar- og/eða leiðtogastöðum, reka eigin fyrirtæki eða búa yfir mikilli reynslu úr atvinnulífinu. Þetta þýði hefur alla burði til að veita einstaka innsýn í hindranir sem jafnvel konur með menntun, tekjur og aðgang að upplýsingum mæta. Slíkt getur varpað ljósi á dýpri og kerfisbundnari áhrifaþætti fjárfestingahegðunar. Að því er höfundum best er kunnugt, er þetta fyrsta rannsókn sinnar tegundar á Íslandi sem beinist að fjárfestingahegðun kvenna með áhrif innan atvinnulífsins. Rannsóknarspurningarnar eru: Hvaða þættir hafa áhrif á fjárfestingaákvarðanir kvenna í íslensku atvinnulífi og hvaða hindranir standa í vegi fyrir þátttöku þeirra á fjármálamörkuðum? Niðurstöðurnar sýna að helstu hindranir sem konurnar nefna eru skortur á fjármagni, fjárhagsleg þekking og ótti við áhættu. Einnig kemur fram að félagslegir og sálfræðilegir þættir, s.s. skortur á fyrirmyndum og minni öryggistilfinning gagnvart fjárfestingum, spila hlutverk. Yngri konur í atvinnulífinu og konur með lægri tekjur eða minni menntun eru sérstaklega líklegar til að upplifa slíkar hindranir. Aftur á móti reyndust þær sem höfðu fengið fjármálafræðslu í æsku marktækt öruggari með fjárfestingaákvarðanir. Fræðilegt framlag greinarinnar felst í að sameina þverfaglegan ramma kenninga um fjármálalæsi, áhættumat og félagsmótun, og tengja við gögn úr íslenskum veruleika. Hagnýtt framlag felst í tillögum að stefnumótandi aðgerðum til að draga úr kynjamun í fjárfestingum og efla efnahagslegt sjálfstæði kvennaThe objective of this article is to explore the factors that influence investment behavior of women in the Icelandic business sector, with a particular focus on barriers and motivating factors. The analysis is based on a survey conducted among 316 women from the Association of Women Business Leaders in Iceland (FKA), most of whom hold executive or leadership positions, own their own businesses, or possess substantial professional experience. Surveying this group of women has the potential to give insights into barriers facing even educated women with access to information and resources to invest. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind in Iceland to specifically examine the investment behavior of women with influence in the business sector. The research questions are: What factors influence the investment decisions of businesswomen in Iceland? And, what barriers hinder their participation in financial markets? The findings reveal that the most reported barriers are lack of capital, limited financial knowledge, and risk aversion. Social and psychological factors—such as the absence of role models and a lower sense of confidence regarding investment decisions—also play a role. Younger businesswomen, and those with lower income or educational levels, are particularly likely to experience these obstacles. By contrast, women who received financial education in youth report significantly greater confidence when making investment decisions. The theoretical contribution lies in integrating an interdisciplinary framework, drawing on theories of financial literacy, risk perception, and socialization and applying it to original data from the Icelandic context. The practical contribution consists of policy-oriented recommendations to reduce the gender investment gap and enhance women’s economic independence
Living Precariously: single mothers and their children in the Icelandic Welfare state
No full textThis study examines the situation of single mothers in Iceland compared to mothers living with a partner. In 2024, Iceland recorded 12,670 single-parent families, of which 10,974 were headed by women, making single mothers a substantial group that often carries primary responsibility for employment, childcare, and household management. Despite their societal significance, relatively little research has examined their social and economic conditions. The analysis draws on a national telephone survey conducted in 2022 among Icelandic women aged 25–64 years. Focusing on mothers aged 25–49, those most actively engaged in both the labour market and childcare, the study explores differences by family structure in housing conditions, material deprivation, and financial wellbeing. We also assess whether these disparities can be explained by sociodemographic factors or reflect more systemic inequalities. Findings indicate that, despite high labour force participation among single mothers in our sample, single mothers experience substantially greater financial insecurity than partnered mothers. Their incomes less often cover basic household needs, and they are more likely to report both personal and child-related material hardship. Although some of these differences are partially explained by age, number of children, education, income, and housing status, the association remains strong after adjustment, suggesting that structural factors contribute to the economic vulnerability of single mothers.Í þessari rannsókn er sjónum beint að stöðu einstæðra mæðra í samanburði við mæður í sambúð. Samkvæmt Hagstofu Íslands voru einforeldrisfjölskyldur 12.670 árið 2024, þar af 10.974 þar sem konur deildu lögheimili með börnum sínum. Hér er því um fjölmennan hóp að ræða en þrátt fyrir það hefur staða þeirra lítið verið rannsökuð með áherslu á félags- og efnahagslegar aðstæður. Fyrirliggjandi rannsóknir sýna að einstæðar mæður bera oft meginábyrgð á framfærslu barna, uppeldi þeirra og heimilishaldi. Rannsóknin byggir á símakönnun frá árinu 2022 meðal kvenna á Íslandi á aldrinum 25–64 ára. Í greiningunni er lögð sérstök áhersla á mæður á aldrinum 25–49 ára, þegar ábyrgð á umönnun barna og staða á vinnumarkaði er hvað mest krefjandi. Skoðaðir eru þættir sem snúa að stöðu á húsnæðismarkaði, efnislegum skorti og fjárhagslegum lífskjörum. Þá er kannað hvort munur á stöðu ólíkra fjölskylduforma skýrist af félags- og lýðfræðilegum breytum eða hvort hann bendi til kerfislægs ójafnaðar. Niðurstöður sýna að þrátt fyrir mikla atvinnuþátttöku einstæðra mæðra í úrtakinu búa þær við talsvert meira fjárhagslegt óöryggi en mæður í sambúð. Tekjur þeirra nægja síður fyrir hefðbundnum útgjöldum heimilisins og fjárhagslegir erfiðleikar eru algengari, meðal annars þegar kemur að því að uppfylla grunnþarfir barna og tryggja þátttöku þeirra í samfélaginu. Þó svo að hluti munarins skýrist af félags- og lýðfræðilegum breytum helst sambandið þegar fyrir þeim er stjórnað, sem bendir til að undirliggjandi kerfislægir þættir hafi einnig áhrif
„Með fagvitund að vopni“: Upplifun leikskólakennara af hlutverki sínu í framvarðasveit í heimsfaraldri
Get PDFThe role of preschools is multifaceted and changes according to societal needs at any given time. Preschools are the first school level in Iceland, and they also serve parents who want to know that their children are in safe hands while they work. In preschool work, care and education are intertwined, and therefore, the work of preschool teachers, among other things, involves a very close relationship with every child (Hallet, 2016). During the pandemic from 2020 to 2022, Icelandic society has found how important preschools are in various aspects. At the beginning of the epidemic, restrictions were placed on schooling, which, inter alia, applied to the preschool level so that in most municipalities, children and staff attended every other day (Embætti landlæknis [The Directorate of Health], 2020). Soon, these restrictions were lifted, and sometimes, it needed to be clarified which rules applied at the preschool level or how it would be possible to enforce what had been decided. During the pandemic, it became clear how vital preschools are in the Icelandic society. Overnight, preschool teachers and other preschool educators felt as if they were in the vanguard, where preschool activities were kept going in uncertain times, albeit with certain limitations, and staff could do little to protect themselves from the virus in their work. In the long run, preschools had to be open so the health system and economy would not be paralysed. This meant that the preschool staff had to report to work. Preschool staff, therefore, faced a new role in the pandemic.
This study aims to examine the effect of restrictions on preschool work due to the Covid-19 epidemic on the experience of preschool directors and department heads in their vanguard role. Data was collected through 11 individual interviews with preschool principals and department heads, who were asked how the pandemic affected their work and professionalism.
The findings show that preschool principals felt that preschool staff were vulnerable vanguards during Covid-19 who could not protect themselves against infection due to the closeness with the children required in the job. When the managers were asked about their experience in the front line, mixed feelings were revealed. Some felt their education needed to prepare them for this new role, which was reflected in insecurity and uncertainty. Anger regarding the prioritisation of vaccinations and disrespect towards the profession was expressed in the interviews, as preschool staff received vaccinations a few months after vaccinations started, and they felt unprotected and vulnerable at work. While other school levels were closed and others in the vanguard could use protective clothing and keep their distance, the interviewees felt this did not apply to the preschool. Staff felt vulnerable and could not protect themselves from the virus.
The findings also revealed that the interviewees experienced how vital preschool is as a link in the community. Some interviewees felt that preschool’s role as the first level of schooling was subordinate, but all agreed on its importance in society. The findings showed evidence of tension among preschool teachers regarding the educational and service roles of the preschool. Many people find it difficult to combine the two and see education and service as having one and the same role, rather than two separate functions. These discussions need to be opened up, and those involved in educating preschool teachers are aware of preparing prospective preschool teachers for this interwoven role.
The professional education of preschool teachers was clearly revealed when the societal role of preschool and other people’s attitudes towards it were discussed. The findings also showed the importance of maintaining the professionalism of preschool teachers and the value of paying attention to the role of the preschool as an educational institution. That role does not yield to a service role in the working world.
The results highlight the importance to preschool teachers of having their expertise recognised. They feel such recognition is essential, and it is time for society to see their professionalism as necessary to the education of young children and not merely as a custodial resource. The interviewees’ experience was that in the era of Covid-19, the societal role of preschool has only focused on service to the working world and parents, not on children’s education. Many felt disappointed as if they had gone back in time and the development of the past decades had evaporated. However, it is worth noting that the administrators in this study used their expertise to deal with new, unprecedented situations guided by the children’s needs.Hlutverk leikskóla er margslungið og tekur mið af breytingum í samfélaginu hverju sinni. Á tímum heimsfaraldurs kom það vel í ljós hversu mikilvægu hlutverki leikskólar gegna í samfélaginu. Á einni nóttu upplifðu leikskólakennarar og annað starfsfólk leikskóla sig vera komin í framvarðasveit þar sem starfsemi leikskóla var haldið gangandi á óvissutímum, þó með vissum takmörkunum, og starfsfólk gat lítið varið sig fyrir veirunni. Markmið rannsóknarinnar sem hér er sagt frá var að skoða hvernig leikskólastjórar og deildarstjórar upplifðu samfélagsleg viðhorf til leikskóla í heimsfaraldrinum. Jafnframt var ætlunin að kanna hvernig stjórnendur leikskóla upplifðu hlutverk sitt í framvarðasveit og hvernig þekking þeirra og fagmennska nýttist í því hlutverki. Gögnum var safnað með 11 einstaklingsviðtölum við leikskólastjóra og deildarstjóra. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar sýna að leikskólastjórnendur upplifðu starfsfólk leikskóla vera berskjaldaða framvarðasveit á tímum Covid-19. Einnig sýndu niðurstöður mikilvægi þess að halda fagmennsku leikskólakennara á lofti og gildi þess að hugað sé að hlutverki leikskólans sem menntastofnunar og að þjónustuhlutverk fyrir atvinnulífið yfirgnæfi það ekk
Honouring the competences of young children
Get PDFGuðrún Alda Hardardóttir is a contemporary colleague with joint research interests, anchored in Iceland, and in Sweden. We have both researched preschool pedagogy, the view of the child, play, and education for sustainability. The aim of this article is to highlight the view on toddlers and play in the Swedish preschool, and how universal access to preschools in the Nordic countries has influenced societal and educational understandings of childhood. Parallel to this development, the global policy and implementation of children’s rights has strengthened children’s position in society. Furthermore, the article aims to campaign for children‘s rights as actors in education for sustainability. By analyzing the influence of these access policies and their alignment with global children’s rights initiatives, the article underscores the importance of Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, advocating young children as key contributors to transformative societal changes
Launað starfsnám í leikskólakennarafræði: Reynsla nemenda
Get PDFOne of the main challenges in Icelandic preschools today is the lack of licensed preschool teachers. According to the Preschool Act, two-thirds of staff working with children in preschools should be educated as preschool teachers and licensed as teachers. However, the reality is that in 2021 only 22.8% of those educating preschool children were preschool teachers or 25.3%, including teachers with specializations at different school levels. In 2019, the Icelandic government initiated a five-year campaign to increase the number of teachers in pre-, primary-, and upper secondary schools. One aspect of that campaign was paid internship in the graduate year within the teacher education programme. The internship involves a half-time job in pre-or primary school, during one school year. The aim of the internship is to increase student teachers’ competences to face the challenges of the teaching profession when they graduate, with increased likelihood of a successful career.
In autumn 2022, the fourth school year started when paid internship is included in the teacher education. Therefore, it is important to study the experience of different parties who have been involved in the paid internship these four years. The aim of this study is to explore student teachers’ experience of paid internship in their final year of studies and the findings will be, inter alia, useful in developing how the internship is arranged, continuing what has been successful and dealing with the challenges the students have faced. In future studies, the experience of different parties will be explored, the mentors’, preschool principals, and university teachers.
The study is descriptive and non-experimental where the aim is to describe a certain phenomenon, namely, students’ experience of paid internship. Data was gathered through a questionnaire sent to students in paid internship within preschool teacher education at the University of Iceland, and at the University of Akureyri since preschool teacher education was established there in autumn 2019. The questionnaire was sent to 201 students with a 63% response rate. The questionnaire included open-ended and closed questions. Students were asked about their experience of the paid internship, their experience of guidance in the field and their experience of courses and assignments relating to the internship.
The findings show that students’ experience of the paid internship is generally positive. The same was revealed concerning guidance in the field and the courses and assignments relating to the internship. However, a considerable number of students did not receive the allocated guidance hours each month, according to the agreement between the university and the preschool. Former studies have shown how important the mentor’s role is in field practice. Most of the students found that the internship was good preparation for the preschool teacher profession. They felt empowered in their work and more confident as professionals. The findings show, however, that there seems to be some misunderstanding about the arrangement of the internship and how it should be part of the preschool practice. This was noted as some students found it difficult to integrate their internship with their work.
Even though most students were positive, a few mentioned factors they were dissatisfied with, such as the attendance requirement or the competence of the mentors in the field. Some suggested that their former work experience in preschool should be valued. These are all very important suggestions for further development of the paid internship if it is to be continued as part of teacher education.
The findings indicate that paid internship in preschool teacher education is effective for student teachers, and it is important to continue to offer paid internship as a learning and developing opportunity for future preschool teachers. The arrangement of the internship must be clarified as well as the roles of different participant. In sum, the action research approach approved to be effective for the aim of the internship and the teacher students’ professional development.Árið 2019 hrintu stjórnvöld af stað átaki til að fjölga kennurum í leik-, grunn- og framhaldsskólum. Einn liður í því átaki var launað starfsnám á lokaári kennaranáms. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að kanna reynslu nemenda af launuðu starfsnámi í leikskólakennaranámi. Gögnum var safnað með spurningakönnun sem send var út til 201 nemanda í launuðu starfsnámi í leikskólakennaranámi við Háskóla Íslands og Háskólann á Akureyri. Spurt var um upplifun nema af launuðu starfsnámi og reynslu af leiðsögn og námskeiðum tengdum starfsnáminu. Niðurstöðurnar sýna að upplifun nemenda af launuðu starfsnámi er almennt góð. Langflestum nemendum fannst starfsnámið góður undirbúningur fyrir leikskólakennarastarfið. Niðurstöðurnar sýna þó að sumir nemendur virðast eiga erfitt með að flétta starfsnámið saman við starf sitt í leikskólanum og líta á þetta sem tvo aðskilda þætti. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar munu m.a. nýtast til að þróa fyrirkomulag starfsnámsins, halda á lofti því sem vel hefur gengið og takast á við þær áskoranir sem nemendur hafa upplifað
Útvalin og úrvals: Stofnanaháttur elítuskóla og vegferð stúdentsefna í Reykjavík og Helsinki
No full textThis study explores the choices and experiences and future aspirations of Icelandic and Finnish students. When the research is conducted, they are finishing their matriculation exams at the upper-secondary education level from schools known as elite schools in terms of academic performance. The paper is based on the authors’ recent publication (Berglind Rós Magnúsdóttir & Kosunen, 2022) with a deeper analysis of the Icelandic case and a more nuanced analysis of the institutional habitus of the two elite schools in Reykjavík.
The Nordic countries are often presented as model societies with high levels of happiness, commitments to democratic and meritocratic processes and low levels of corruption and elitism. However, in recent years, the social and cultural landscapes of the educational field in Nordic cities have been changing into multicultural, class divergent and marketoriented societies. Recent studies show the increasing correlation between student achievement and b) their backgrounds (Elsa Eiríksdóttir et al., 2022) as well as b) socio-geographical accumulation of economic and/or educational capital in certain neighbourhoods and schools (Berglind Rós Magnúsdóttir et al., 2020). The hierarchy among schools at the upper-secondary level has become steeper, and the route to success through the education system is muddier. Thus, exploring if and how elitist institutions and identities are constructed and socially reproduced in Icelandic educational contexts and practices is important.
The elites are the dominant agents in a certain social space, the field of power. Elite identity formation is shaped differently from one nation to another, but generally, the secondary and higher education system has an important role in its (re)production (Bourdieu, 1998; Bourdieu & Passeron, 1977). In both countries, all the general uppersecondary schools can selectively assess their students based on academics. In Finland, there is a standardised matriculation exam, but in Iceland, there are no standardised tests that direct the transition between school levels.
This paper is a comparative qualitative case study utilizing Bourdieu’s concepts of the interplay between habitus, capitals, and fields to examine elite educational institutions and the experiences and aspirations of their students. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 20 students. Highly selective schools tend to produce what Bourdieu (1998, p. 102) described as a ‘consecrated elite, that is, an elite that is not only distinct and separate but also recognised by the other and by itself as worthy of being so. In our analysis, we extend the concept of habitus to capture the set of predispositions, takenfor-granted expectations and schemes of perception based on which schools are organised (Reay et al., 2005; Tarabini et al., 2017), what has been referred to as institutional habitus. This is done through the voices of students and background information derived from their administration.
The students did not experience much disjuncture between habitus and field in these two cities. Educational choices were shaped and restricted by the inherited capital of their families, peers and/or friends, especially in Iceland, while in Finland that was mainly visible when confronted with HE choices. Family and fellow students’ values were ingrained into the habitus, and the awareness of privilege and class position was limited, as the schools were filled with other young people from higher social classes. The feeling of being the ‘right’ student for the school is an enactment of their habitus fitting well in highly selective education. There were narratives of consecrative moments because of students’ visibility as members of elite institution, in terms of respect and popularity on the social media. The few students who experienced being out of place were coming from a more sociocultural distance in terms of social class, despite their good school attainment. In both countries, these students were strongly directed towards status or canonical disciplines in universities. An obvious class (re)production mechanism drives their HE choices shaped by the institutional habitus of their upper-secondary schools and inherited capitals. The actual admission to the ‘right’ universities and disciplines requires certain capital and habitus formation that is further nuanced in the general upper-secondary schools of these selected few students.Vegferð ungs fólks til fullorðinsára í gegnum framhalds- og háskólakerfið er ferli sem mótar sjálfsmynd þeirra, möguleika og stöðu meðal jafningja. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að greina stofnanahátt aðgangsstífra bóknámsskóla á Íslandi og í Finnlandi út frá bakgrunni og reynslu nemenda og skoða vegferð þeirra milli framhalds- og háskólastigsins. Nemendurnir hafa verið valdir úr stórum hópi ungmenna til að verða „úrvals“ eða „framúrskarandi“ fólk. Fræðileg nálgun er byggð á hugtökum Bourdieu þar sem rýnt er í upplifun nemendanna af ferlinu við að velja og vera valin inn í skólann, hvernig þau hafa upplifað skólavistina og svo hvernig námsvalið, skólareynslan og val á háskólanámi markast af arfbundnu auðmagni og stofnanahætti skólans. Skoðuð var upplifun stúdentsefna úr fjórum framhaldsskólum við lok námstímans í gegnum hálfstöðluð einstaklingsviðtöl við 20 nemendur. Niðurstöðurnar benda til að stofnanaháttur skólanna sé keimlíkur en finnsku nemendurnir þurftu þó að laga sig meira að afar þröngum akademískum viðmiðum. Samræmt stúdentspróf og þröng inntökuskilyrði finnska háskólastigsins skapa þar mikið aðhald. Stofnanaháttur skólanna fól í sér aðgengi að auðmagni sem nemendur gátu notað til að skapa sér yfirburðastöðu í félagsheimi ungmenna og nauðsynlega yfirsýn og þekkingu á framtíðarmöguleikum um frekara nám og störf. Niðurstöður gefa vísbendingar um að stofnanaháttur framhaldsskólanna skapi, ásamt arfbundnu auðmagni, forsendur fyrir tilteknum smekk og aðgengi að háskólanámi og mærum sem styðji við félagslegt viðhald mismununar
Skipulag og eftirfylgni stuðnings við lestur á yngsta stigi grunnskóla séð með augum læsisfræðinga: From the perspectives of literacy experts
No full textIn recent years, emphasis has been placed on assessing children’s learning needs and meeting them as best as possible right from the beginning of their schooling. This shift can be attributed to increased emphasis on universal education and children’s well-being, as well as a heightened awareness of the importance of early intervention to mitigate potential issues and their adverse impacts on children’s learning and development. Given that reading and literacy are integral to early primary education, reading instruction during these formative years is particularly crucial. The Compulsory School Act from 2008 and the Act on the Integration of Services for the Benefit of Children’s Prosperity from 2021, along with regulations on special needs in primary schools and municipal school services, collectively establish a policy for inclusive schools. This policy emphasises the priority of meeting students’ needs through targeted support. The article examines findings from interviews with literacy experts actively engaged in schools possessing strong professional expertise in reading studies. The study aimed to provide insights into the organisation of reading support for students requiring additional assistance. Qualitative methods were employed for data collection and analysis. Literacy specialists nationwide, typically from larger schools (over 400 students), participated in semistructured interviews using purposeful sampling. Participants, members of the Association of Literacy Scholars in Iceland (Félag læsisfræðinga á Íslandi, FLÍS), had backgrounds in reading studies and at least five years of experience in reading support. FLÍS members undergo specialised studies equivalent to 60 to 120 ECTS credits. Interviewees often held leadership positions in reading education, such as special education teachers or heads of special education. Special emphasis was placed on orientation and action plans for teaching, the methods of evaluation employed, the types of evaluation tools utilised, and the management of students’ support and subsequent follow-up. The examination of potential weaknesses in implementation focused on elucidating the delineation of the responsibility of different parties and assessing the transparency of the procedural framework. As perceived by literacy experts, the research question addressed the primary issues concerning the organisation and follow-up of reading support for the youngest primary school students. The primary findings indicated that regular screening occurs in the early years of compulsory school, but a comprehensive analysis of reading difficulties is not conducted until the 3rd grade. Private parties administer the tests used for analysis, and it is criticised that the government neither offers such tests nor updates them regularly nor provides teachers with guidance on their use. A clear strategy for teaching reading was not consistently in place, and the action plan sometimes lacked alignment with the strategy. Additionally, a written process for support based on the assessment of students’ reading status was not always established.
Furthermore, the support management was occasionally unclear, and there was insufficient clarity regarding responsibility for progress and follow-up. Despite schools being wellstaffed in the field of reading, an inadequately solid organisational structure can hinder the effective and professional handling of teaching, support, and follow-up for students with reading difficulties. The study highlights the critical importance of systematically planning and following up on reading instruction and support. A policy holds little value without proper organisational implementation. This study illuminates various issues related to the organisation, support, and follow-up of reading instruction for the youngest primary school students, as viewed by literacy specialists. The study highlights the importance of systematically planning and following up on reading instruction and support. Policies are ineffective without proper organisational implementation. Through the perspectives of literacy specialists, the study sheds light on various issues related to the organisation, support, and follow-up of reading instruction for the youngest primary school students. The interviews highlight compelling evidence that comprehensive organisation, well-documented work processes, and systematic management are necessary to enhance reading support. These improvements are beneficial for all schools but are particularly crucial for those with limited human resources in the field of reading compared to others. The findings suggest that much of the process appears to rely on happenstance rather than established procedures, raising concerns about the adequacy of reading support despite the professional expertise of the school’s teachers in reading studies.Skipulag og eftirfylgni stuðnings við lestur á yngsta stigi grunnskóla séð með augum læsisfræðinga. Í greininni er fjallað um niðurstöður viðtala við starfandi læsisfræðinga þar sem reynt var að fá innsýn í skipulag við lestrarnám nemenda sem þurfa á auknum stuðningi að halda í skólum sem búa að góðri fagþekkingu í lestrarfræðum. Hugað var sérstaklega að stefnumörkun og aðgerðaáætlunum er varða kennslu, hvernig mati væri háttað, hvers kyns matstæki væru notuð og hvernig stuðningi við nemendur og eftirfylgni í tengslum við hann væri hagað. Helstu niðurstöður voru þær að reglulega er skimað á fyrstu árum í grunnskóla en ítarleg greining á lestrarvanda á sér ekki stað fyrr en í þriðja bekk