Communicative tools and modes in thematic preschool work

This study focuses on teachers’ ways of mediating meaning through communicative tools and modes in preschool thematic work. A socio-cultural perspective is used for analysis on how tools and modes are provided for children to make use of for communicative purposes. The research questions are: (1) what communicative tools do teachers use in their pedagogical work, and for what purposes; (2) how are different modes for communication established and challenged. In-depth interviews with six preschool teachers and documentation from their preschool practices are analysed to answer the questions. The results show that teachers are using multiple tools to communicate meaning and to provide children with opportunities to make sense of tools and modes for communication. Different modes presume skills for using specific tools for communication, which is discussed through three cases that provide a basis for explaining how children are afforded opportunities to establish and challenge socio-culturally mediated modes.