Speciella lekgrupper och kamratrelationer

Sammanfattning: Al-Fattal, Magdalena (2021). Special Playgroups and Peer Relationships. Thesis II (master's degree) in Special Education. Faculty of Learning and Society. Malmö University. Special playgroups which correspond to IPG (Integrated play groups), is a method based on guided participation to support children with autism through inclusion and play. This qualitative study examines the effect of the special playgroup on children’s social interaction and on peer relationships. The aim of the study is that the educators gain an increased understanding of the special playgroup's significance for peer relationships. The study can contribute to research-based working methods permeating the preschool's activities. The study also contributes to previous studies with more understanding of how peer relationships change during the special playgroup. The specified questions of this study are: • What effect does the special playgroup have on children’s social interaction? • How do peer relationships change during the special playgroup? The results revealed that in the special playgroup, the participants have created a common culture with an approach that is based on inviting everyone to play and to support everyone's play initiatives. With the support of each other and of the adult present, the children develop the peer-play and their relationships in the special playgroup. In other words, by the adult participating in the children's play and making it a tool for learning and forming a reciprocal relationship-friendship with peers, an awareness and a level of reflection is created in children. The development of forming a reciprocal relationship-friendship extends also beyond the special playgroup and is noticeable in the preschool's other contexts. The implication is that this study consistent with previous studies that participation in a special playgroup has a great influence on supporting children both with and without autism to form relationships-friendships with each other. It helps the children to be truly included because children without difficulties learn to be responsive to other peer's play initiatives and learn to put deviant behaviors of their friends in a context. What distinguish this study is that it provides in-depth knowledge and understanding for how peer relationships change during the special playgroup.