Multilingualism in early childhood is part of everyday life for the majority of children globally, but it remains a challenging issue in both research and practice. According to the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket), up to 25% of all children enrolled in preschools in Sweden have a foreign background and are therefore considered multilingual. Although it is often believed that children easily learn languages, it is not a given that they will succeed in learning multiple languages simultaneously. There is often a tension between parents' efforts to maintain the home language and children's language development. Moreover, multilingual children have been shown to be at higher risk of being diagnosed with language disorders and delayed school readiness. Children's multilingualism is often seen as a problem rather than the norm. Therefore, there is a need to broaden our understanding of how bilingual environments are organised in preschools and family life.
Instead of viewing children's multilingualism as a problem, my research builds on sociolinguistic studies that regard language as a communicative resource. I adopt the theoretical perspective of co-operative action, which means that language is a semiotic resource with a dialogic organization. This perspective allows us to examine participation and learning in bilingual environments by paying attention to the fundamental principles of human sociality.
