Understanding Culturally Specific Pedagogy and Practices Within Swedish Early Childhood Education and Care

Abstract

This chapter provides a summary of culturally specific norms and practices in Swedish early childhood education and care around equivalence and intercultural pedagogy. The concept of equivalence is based on how children from different backgrounds can achieve their potential in preschools. In Sweden the concept of intercultural pedagogy has not been part of the national curriculum. Still the concept has often been used in documents and policy recommendations of ‘Skolverket and Skolinspektionen’. The chapter provides two snapshots of the current situation in Swedish preschools around children from a foreign background and enrollment patterns to highlight differences in equivalence and how culturally specific pedagogy can be implemented. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the future development of Swedish early childhood education and care.