Language policy on the ground in Norwegian kindergartens

Abstract

The study explores literacy conditions for preschool children acquiring Nynorsk, a lesser used Norwegian written language. Norway has no official language policy for the use of Nynorsk and Bokmål, the majority written language, in preschool education. By observing when and how Nynorsk, Bokmål, and other varieties are involved in activities where texts and print play a role, we examine language policy appropriation in kindergartens in a community where the children are going to have Nynorsk as first written language when they attend formal education. The study shows that the predominant literacy practices create spaces for kindergarten staff's language policy agency, but that their choices are limited – especially by textual artefacts. Teacher-made materials are often in Nynorsk, while materials from the outside are in Bokmål. The lack of official language policy results in kindergarten staff being the ones, if anyone, to ensure written language stimulation for ‘the Nynorsk children’.