| 1. |
- Alatalo, Tarja, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Read-Aloud and Writing Practices in Nordic Preschools
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0031-3831 .- 1470-1170. ; 68:3, s. 588-603
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated preschool teachers’ read-aloud and writing practices using a questionnaire about how activities were planned and organized, and what their purpose was. The sample consisted of 222 participants from Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Data was analyzed using a mixed methods approach. The results indicate that early literacy practices were not planned systematically. Most of the preschool teachers (77%) reported having storybook read-alouds at least three times per week. A large minority (45.5%) reported never or seldom using writing activities, and rarely in play. The main aims of read-alouds were to promote learning and development, create a sense of community, and regulate group activities. The main aims of writing practices were to learn about letters, understand the function of print, and arouse interest in writing. We discuss the implications of these findings in relation to a need for a didactic approach, where play is the core of early literacy practices.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-induced calcium signaling in neutrophils is blocked by the virulence effector YopH
- 1999
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Ingår i: Infection and Immunity. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 67:5, s. 2567-2574
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pathogenic species of the genus Yersinia evade the bactericidal functions of phagocytes. This evasion is mediated through their virulence effectors, Yops, which act within target cells. In this study we investigated the effect of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis on Ca 2+ signaling in polymorphonuclear neutrophils. The intracellular free calcium concentration in single adherent human neutrophils was monitored during bacterial infection and, in parallel, the encounter between the bacteria and cells was observed. When a plasmid-cured strain was used for infection, adherence of a single bacterium to the cellular surface induced a β 1 integrin-dependent transient increase in the intracellular concentration of free calcium. This was, however, not seen with Yop-expressing wild-type bacteria, which adhered to the cell surface without generating any Ca 2+ signal. Importantly, the overall Ca 2+ homeostasis was not affected by the wild-type strain; the Ca 2+ signal mediated by the G-protein-coupled formyl-methionyl-leucyl- phenylalanine receptor was still functioning. Hence, the blocking effect was restricted to certain receptors and their signaling pathways. The use of different Yop mutant strains revealed that the protein tyrosine phosphatase YopH was responsible for the inhibition. This virulence determinant has previously been implicated in very rapid Yersinia-mediated effects on target cells as the key effector in the blockage of phagocytic uptake. The present finding, that Y. pseudotuberculosis, via YopH, specifically inhibits a self- induced immediate-early Ca 2+ signal in neutrophils, offers more-detailed information concerning the effectiveness of this virulence effector and implies an effect on Ca 2+-dependent, downstream signals.
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| 3. |
- Björklund, Camilla, 1977, et al.
(författare)
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Teachers' involvement in children's mathematizing - beyond dichotomization between play and teaching
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1350-293X .- 1752-1807. ; 26:4, s. 469-480
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The focus of this article is on mathematics teaching in a play-based and goal-oriented practice, such as preschool, and on how different lines of actions may impact children's learning opportunities. Video recordings of authentic play activities involving children and nine teachers from different preschools were analyzed qualitatively to answer the following research questions: (1) What lines of action do teachers use when they teach mathematics in play? and (2) What implications may different ways of teaching have for children's learning opportunities? The analysis revealed four different categories: confirming direction of interest; providing strategies; situating known concepts; and challenging concept meaning. As these differ regarding both the mathematics content focused on and the kind of knowledge emphasized, they have implications for children's learning opportunities.
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| 4. |
- Bokarewa, Maria, 1963, et al.
(författare)
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Arthritogenic dsRNA is present in synovial fluid from rheumatoid arthritis patients with an erosive disease course.
- 2008
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Ingår i: European journal of immunology. - : Wiley. - 0014-2980 .- 1521-4141. ; 38:11, s. 3237-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Viruses may be part of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a prototypic viral conformation of nucleic acid that is highly arthritogenic in mice. Therefore, we developed an ELISA to detect dsRNA in sera and synovial fluids (SF) in RA patients and in osteoarthritic controls. The developed ELISA recognizes picogram levels of viral or synthetic dsRNA but shows no reactivity against DNA, synthetic ssRNA, or total RNA prepared from mammalian cells. Before analysis by ELISA, each sample was subjected to RNA precipitation. The RA patients had significantly higher levels of dsRNA than the osteoarthritis patients in SF and in sera. In 7 of 17 RA patients, EBV was present in SF and in all but one of these this was accompanied by the presence of dsRNA. No parvovirus, cytomegalovirus, or polyomavirus was detected. The anti-viral cytokine IFN-alpha was detected in SF in 10 of 21 RA patients, but in none of the osteoarthritis patients. Notably, RA patients with erosive disease course had significantly higher levels of dsRNA in SF than non-erosive patients, but no correlation between dsRNA levels and the presence of RF or levels of C-reactive protein, IL-6, or IFN-alpha was observed.
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| 5. |
- Hofslundsengen, Hilde, et al.
(författare)
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ECEC Teachers’ Reported Practices and Attitudes Toward Read-Alouds in Nordic Multilingual Classrooms
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nordic Journal of Literacy Research. - : Cappelen Damm Akademisk. - 2464-1596. ; 9:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated teachers’ self-reported read-aloud practices in multilingual early childhood education and care (ECEC) classrooms in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. A total of 170 ECEC teachers participated in a survey about read-aloud practices. Data on literacy practices were analyzed quantitatively, and reasons for read-aloud approaches were qualitatively analyzed. The results showed that the ECEC teachers reported overall similar read-aloud practices regardless of the number of multilingual children in their classrooms; still, some degree of difference in didactic choices was found. Thirty-eight percent of the teachers chose a different book when reading to multilingual rather than monolingual children. Their reasons included a view of multilingual children as having different reading needs than monolingual children, such as simpler books with more illustrations. Choosing simpler books might be beneficial early in second-language development, especially when using a dialogic reading style for making the book accessible to more children. On the other hand, these reasons might indicate an underlying perception of all multilingual children as in more need of a teaching tone with explanations and instructions and less of an exchange tone with an active exchange of knowledge in read-aloud practice. The overall results point to read-alouds as an important early literacy activity in ECEC classrooms.
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| 6. |
- Hofslundsengen, Hilde, et al.
(författare)
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Preschool literacy environment in the Nordic countries
- 2016
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Ingår i: Abstract book. 26th EECERA Annual Conference, Happiness, Relationships, Emotion & Deep Level Learning, Dublin, 31st-3rd September, 2016.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the current study was to detect similarities and differences in the preschool literacy environment in the Nordic countries, with a special focus on what the environment offered to multilingual children who do not speak the language. Some minor studies (Bøyum, Hofslundsengen, Haukedal & Pedersen, 2016; Dahlgren, Gustafsson, Mellgren & Olsson 2013; Mellgren, Skriver Jensen & Hansen 2010; Mårdsjö Olsson & Löfström 2008; Simonsson, 2004; Svensson 2005, 2007, 2009; Öman 1986) has indicated less literacy activities in some preschools. This study expands on the earlier work of literacy environment. The theoretical base is socio-cultural as artefacts are looked upon as vehicles of the culture in which children live. We present a survey of the literacy environment in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The data consisted of mapping in 20 preschool classrooms in each of the three countries including number of books, children's access to books, reading and writing activities and digital tools. The participating preschools gave informed consents to data collection. This study contributes to knowledge about what experiences of literacy children at the ages of 0 to 6 years get during their stay in preschool, if these experiences differ among the Nordic countries and if so, how and in what way they differ. The finding from the study adds to the limited knowledge about literacy learning in the Nordic preschool system, 171 and implies the importance of preschools literacy environment for children's development of emergent literacy skills.
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| 7. |
- Hofslundsengen, Hilde, et al.
(författare)
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Read-aloud as justice and social practice? ECEC teachers´ reported views on read-aloud in Nordic multilingual classrooms
- 2023
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Ingår i: 31st EECERA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, Children’s Curiosity, Agency and Participation: Challenges for Professional Action and Development, Cascais near Lisbon, Portugal, 30th August – 2nd September 2023. ; , s. 128-128
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this research was to investigate the views on read-aloud among teachers with multilingual children in their classrooms in Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Several systematic reviews have shown that reading aloud can be beneficial for second-language learning, including both explicit and implicit word learning (Fitton et al., 2018; Hur et al. 2020; Larson et al., 2020). Hence, teachers have a central role in planning and scaffolding read-aloud activities in preschool. Based on Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory, learning happens in the context of interaction and communication between children and adults. Language is thus seen as a cultural tool and a link to action. In this mixed-method study, 170 teachers answered a survey about their literacy practices. Data on literacy practices were analyzed quantitatively, and reasons for read-aloud approaches were qualitatively analyzed. No information that could identify the respondents or sensitive data was collected. According to the local ethics committee at one author’s university, no further ethical review was required. Reported read-aloud practices and attitudes among teachers did not differ based on the number of multilingual children in their classrooms. However, 38% of the teachers selected a simpler book when reading with multilingual children. The reasons for this included a different reading style and a view of multilingual children as needing simpler books with illustrations. Preschool teachers are mediators of the majority language, and are expected to emphasize multilingualism. Therefore, they need to reflect on their schaffolding of read-alouds in everyday practice to ensure equal education.
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| 8. |
- Hofslundsengen, Hilde, et al.
(författare)
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The literacy environment of preschool classrooms in three Nordic countries : challenges in a multilingual and digital society
- 2020
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Ingår i: Early Child Development and Care. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0300-4430 .- 1476-8275. ; 190:3, s. 414-427
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigates the physical literacy environment of preschools in three Nordic countries. The environments were assessed using an observation protocol in a total of 131 classrooms with children aged between one and seven in Sweden, Norway and Finland. The results showed that children’s books were common and accessible in all three countries. Half of the preschools had a writing centre, and digital devices were available in less than half of them. Multilingual children were present in 82% of the classrooms, but texts and books in the multilingual children’s first languages were rare. Taken together, the results suggest that children’s books were the main gateway to literacy in these preschools, while artefacts supporting writing skills and digital literacy were less common. The findings indicate that the physical environment in these preschools did not reflect the ongoing societal changes towards increased multimodal literacy.
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