Social and racial diversity in Swedish cities is currently in proportion to that of London and other European places characterized by super-diversity (Lundström & Hübinette, 2022). The diversity of the population is also reflected in the segregation and inequities  in the Swedish school system (Kuusisto & Garvis, 2020; Skolverket, 2022/2021-09-14). Preschool can be seen as the first step into the educational system and one of the first meeting spaces for newly arrived children and families (Johannes, 2013; Leseman, 2007). However, despite affordability, access and attendance of young children, Swedish cities and preschools remain highly segregated (Andersson, Bråmå, & Hogdal, 2009; Righard, 2022). Segregation along the lines of race and class creates a pedagogical dilemma for reciprocal and mutual integration across socio-economic, racial, and spatial divides. Preschool teachers in privileged and disadvantage areas both need to compensate for and counteract the combined effects of increased diversity, racial divides, and social inequalities between social groups. My research aims are to highlight preschool teachers’ pedagogic skills in constructing educational content and practices for young children that bring awareness of racial and social diversity (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2020; Ramsey, 2004).

The analysis of data examines preschool teaching and pedagogic practices that promote knowledge about social diversity, respect for social variations, and contribute to a collective understanding that can create a sense of belonging and inclusion. The theoretical impetus comes from Basil Bernstein’s pedagogic theory on the sociology of knowledge, the pedagogical discourse and symbolic control. Within this frame the Bernstein’s two pedagogic models: the competence model and the performance model have helped guide the research design and data analysis (Bernstein, 2000).

Bernstein’s theoretical concepts have been applied in previous studies to critique pedagogic practices that tend to reinstate the status quo and reproduce social inequalities. Previous research that utilizes Bernstein’s pedagogic theory has to a large extent focused on the negative effects of dominant norms underlying pedagogic policy and practice (Neaum, 2016). Assumptions about the type of child and what kind of childhood is considered desirable are not openly stated but constructed and conveyed in the pedagogic practices and communication with children and families (Brooker, 2003; Emilson & Johansson, 2009; Smith, 2019). These expectations of children are unstated but have been shown to have disadvantaging effects (Brooker, 2003). Research shows that assumptions and norms about the ideal child and appropriate pedagogic practice exacerbates social inequalities and deficit perspectives of working-class and minoritized children and families (Brooker, 2003; Palludan, 2007; Smith, 2019).

Bernstein’s pedagogic models of competence and performance (Bernstein, 2000) can both have advantaging and disadvantaging effects (Brooker, 2003). The competence model foregrounds child-centered pedagogy, exploratory play, social relations, and self-regulation. Performance models on the other hand foreground acquisition of official knowledge through imitation, copying, memorization and repetition in relation to pre-set learning criteria (Brooker, 2003; Neaum, 2016). Children who are familiar with the competence models have an advantage in that they can recognize and can manifest their own learning and development through self-regulated activities. Previous studies show that the competence model has to a large extent benefitted middle-class children and families who are already familiar with the ideas of children as leading and constructing their own knowledge (Catucci, 2021; Smith, 2019).

The primary research questions guiding the research design and analysis are:

• What are the preferred pedagogic models at work in early childhood education and care (ECEC)?
• How do early childhood educators construct knowledge about social and racial diversity in the pedagogical practice?
• And how do the pedagogic practices contribute to collective understandings of social diversity and inclusion in a broader societal perspective?

This is an ethnographic study of early childhood education and care (ECEC). The data production includes multi-sited critical ethnography (Carspecken, 1996; Falzon, 2009) carried out in strategically chosen pre-schools in three different municipalities in urban areas located near Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. The preschool within the municipality of Stockholm can be characterized as predominantly white, upper middle-class, majoritized population. The preschools within the municipalities of Gothenburg and Malmö were in areas with high populations of minoritized people with immigrant/migrant backgrounds, low-income, racially and linguistically diverse (Andersson et al., 2009; Righard, 2022). This is important to data production and analyses concerning the way different pedagogic practices are adapted to different socio-economic groups (Bernstein, 2000). The sites were strategically chosen based on the pedagogical philosophy and experience with intercultural and or norm critical pedagogical practice (Dolk, 2020; Sparks et al., 2020). Participant observations were carried out at three different sites. Observations were conducted for a total of 70 hours of observations at each site. The data production consists of field notes and teacher interviews. The data has been analyzed with a theoretically driven thematic and reiterative analysis of ethnographic fieldnotes beginning with the research design to data production and writing-up processes. The theoretical framework provides an overarching research subject about pedagogic modalities. The themes identify and describe the ways these pedagogic modalities work to construct and convey knowledge about social diversity.

The results indicate a predominance of instructional strategies within competence models and modes in ECEC. Performance models and modes do exist but are much more infrequent and sparsely inserted into an overall tendency towards the competence model and liberal/progressive mode. Both models promote social diversity and social integration in the instructional discourse but do so in two distinct and separate ways. Competence models and modes utilize social difference as a knowledge source and as a means of learning about different kinds of learning objectives. In the competence model diversity is apparent in both the learning objective and in the transmission of knowledge. Performance models on the other hand downplay or underutilize difference and variations of the acquirers. Difference and diversity of acquirers’ comprehension is not utilized as a resource. Performance models can include knowledge about diversity by this is relayed to the acquirer with more explicit control, uniform, and restricted transmission. Competence models promote social integration by way of knowledge and experiential learning of diversity as a social practice. Performance models tend to convey knowledge about social diversity, but without diversification of the transmission and acquisition of the knowledge process. Hopefully, these results can help inform policy, employment and instructional practices with increased focus anti-bias and inclusionary practices for young children that can bridge social inequalities and differences constructed by racial, social, and spatial divides.

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