This program explores the Swedish approach to nursery education. What is the secret to their success? What factors combine to help Swedish children perform so well in European literacy tables?
On the face of it, Sweden’s attitude to teaching nursery children is incredibly relaxed and informal. There is little structured learning, play is paramount, there are few locks or security coded gates and children are encouraged to help with cleaning and catering.
Most Swedish children who leave pre-school at the age of six cannot read or write. Yet within three years of starting formal schooling at the age of seven, these children lead the literacy tables in Europe.
We travel to Motala – a small town set beside Sweden’s second biggest lake – to discover just how they achieve such stunning results. Could the absence of testing, inspection and excessive paperwork, combined with a strong emphasis on play and relaxation, be the very secret of their success?
Watch the video report on the British Teachers TV website: [[http://www.teachers.tv/video/12090| Early Years Education in Sweden]]
(Source: www.teachers.tv)