Får man vara vem man vill? : En litteraturstudie om pedagogers förhållningssätt till och metoder i barns könsidentitetsprocess

Sammanfattning: In an overview of research within preschool, there appears a certain ambiguity where the fields “preschool teachers’ attitudes and methods” and “children’s gender identity process” are perceived as separate. The aim of this study is to combine and discuss the relationship between these two separate fields in order to identify patterns that can be applied in preschool practice. The main theoretical framework is Connell’s (2009) gender theory, combined with a didactic perspective that clarifies the pedagogical relationship in children's gender identity process. This study consists of a research overview that includes 24 studies that specifically deal with gender, identity and preschool teachers' didactic methods in preschool. The results of the studies are interpreted and compared both nationally and internationally. Five main patterns are visible regarding preschool teachers' attitudes and methods in children’s gender identity process: Gender stereotypical pattern, Gender equality pattern, Presumed gender neutral pattern, Biological pattern and Compensatory pattern. The central findings in these patterns are discussed, related to previous research, and linked to the pedagogical practice. The results of the study are also discussed in relation to the surrounding society, and suggestions for further research about children’s gender identity are given.