Preschoolers' learning environments are developed with the help of Tellusbarn's special education teachers

Published: May 17, 2023

Miscellaneous

Tellusbarn’s special education teachers work to promote learning environments where all children can develop and learn. Every day, they provide preschools with support on educational issues and ensure the quality of Tellusbarn’s development efforts at the individual, group, and organizational levels. One valuable tool is Dialogic Book Reading, which strengthens children’s communication skills.

“With our specialized expertise, we introduce new methods and approaches that are incredibly important for educators in preschools. Language is something we focus on particularly closely; it’s an important tool for getting a good start in life,” says Camilla Suarez, a special education teacher at Tellusbarn.

Camilla Suarez and her colleague Anna-Karin Hamilton work together with Tellusbarn’s 27 preschools, which are located in 9 municipalities throughout Stockholm and Uppsala counties. Their work ranges from visiting children and educators at the preschools to carrying out more overarching assignments focused on supporting the preschools’ operational and staff development.

– “We take our responsibility seriously when it comes to supporting preschool educators in meeting the needs of children with diverse needs. This can range from building a bond with a specific child to promoting play, interaction, and learning for an entire group of children,” says Camilla Suarez.

Learn more about the Tellus Group's operations.

In all preschools, special education teachers have introduced Dialogic Book Reading, a method designed to encourage children’s reading and communication skills. The teacher selects a book and prepares questions that spark conversation among the children, thereby promoting their language skills.

– The model is evidence-based and specifically designed to develop children’s language skills. Several of our preschools have a high proportion of multilingual children who need extra language stimulation in preparation for starting school. Language is an important tool for helping children get off to a good start in school, feel included in activities, and interact more easily with other children.

Training and supporting educators in Dialogic Book Reading is part of the ongoing professional development efforts undertaken by the special education teachers at Tellusbarn .

– Through specialized educational methods and approaches that enhance professional competence, we help educators meet children’s needs and adapt our programs to support their development. Providing ongoing professional development for our educators is incredibly important in enabling us to address children’s individual differences.

It is also the role of special education teachers to help preschools identify and support children who need special assistance.

– Our mission is to help educators identify children who, for various reasons, require additional resources. Regardless of the challenges a child faces, we need to ensure that we create the best possible conditions for the child to thrive and develop. Reorganizing, trying different methods, or adopting new approaches can therefore make a huge difference.

The work of special education teachers is long-term and is continuously evaluated to ensure it continues to improve.

“To ensure quality in our work, we also evaluate what we’re doing well and in which areas we can improve our operations. It’s an ongoing process in which we, as special education teachers, strive to be as helpful as possible,” says Camilla Suarez.

Read more about Tellusbarn's special education teachers here.