Read-Aloud in Preschools: Preschool Teacher´s Experiences of Digital and Analog Reading Format : A Study on Preschool Teacher´s experiences of both Analog and Digital Books

The purpose of this study is to shed a light to the experiences preschool teachers have regarding the using of digital reading aids and analog books when reading aloud. The study’s starting point is a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews where seven preschool teachers participated. The material collected through the interviews was then analyzed with a thematic analysis. The theoretic approach used in the study is the sociocultural perspective and the concepts that has been focused on are artefacts, mediating tools and the zone of proximal development. The result shows that all preschool teachers who were interviewed consider reading aloud as a central part of the education and as an important tool for the children’s language development, imagination and the work with moral values. Through the actions of the characters in the literature possibilities are created to develop the children’s empathy and understanding of social relationships. Furthermore, the changes to the curriculum regarding digital tools has created some uncertainty amongst the preschool teachers and how they should use these tools in the education. This, in combination with unclear directives from the principal affects the usage of digital tools. Digital reading tools such as Polyglutt are perceived as useful when there is a clear educational purpose whilst analog books are generally described as creating a larger commitment and focus with the children. In conclusion the study shows that the active role and the choice of reading tool the educator make is integral to make reading aloud meaningful and developing for the children.