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Martina Norling

Position: Senior Lecturer School/office: School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences

Email: bWFydGluYS5ub3JsaW5nO29ydS5zZQ==

Phone: +46 19 303340

Room: F2257

Research subject

Education

Research environments

ReCEL - Research on Children's Education and Learning

About Martina Norling

Martina Norling is senior lecturer in education and preschool education at the School of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences. She has a PhD in didactics as well as a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a master's degree in special education. Martina Norling mainly teaches subject didactics with a focus on early childhood literacy and multilingualism in preschool.

Research

Martina Norling's research interests are language, multilingualism, reading and writing development in the social language environment in preschool. Her research interests also concern outdoor pedagogy quality development, as well as transitions and collaboration in preschool, preschool class and compulsory school.

Currently, she is conducting research within the project 'Reading Aloud in Preschool's Language Development Work and Cultural Participation,' funded by the Swedish Research Council (Dnr2022–03644) and ongoing between 2023 and 2025. The project is led by Associate Professor Maria Simonsson (Linköping University), Professor Niklas Pramling (University of Gothenburg), and Martina Norling. The aim of the project is to explore how reading aloud activities in preschool are conducted and how they create opportunities for children to participate in important communicative and cultural practices as well as various forms of knowledge, such as language, storytelling, subjects, and value communities. During 2024 and the spring of 2025, the researchers in the project have followed, observed, and documented how reading aloud is designed and implemented in six preschool departments in Sweden

In the Nordic research group Nordic Early Literacy Education (NELE), joint research is ongoing with a focus on literacy, play, and creativity, funded by NordForsk. During the workshop meetings, the researchers have delved into theories and methods related to research on children's early literacy.

An overarching research focus for Martina's work is the social language environment in preschool, which is derived from her doctoral thesis, (Preschool – a social language environment an arena for emergent literacy processes), Förskolan - en arena för social språkmiljö och språkliga processer . The concept of ‘social language environment’ can be described as a broader perspective on children's early language, reading, and writing development, which takes place before the development of formal written language. Recently, the focus has also included multilingualism.

Links to related articles:

Nordic Preschool Teachers’ Views of the Physical and Psychological Literacy Environments Regarding Read-Alouds in Preschool.

The social language environment – domain: ECEC teachers' self-reported ratings of strategies in teaching literacy.

Video Recording as a Method for Swedish Preschool Teachers to Analyze Multilingual Strategies.

Teaching

Martina Norling primarily teaches subject didactics with a focus on language, multilingualism, children's early reading and writing development, research methods, and topics generally related to children's learning and development in preschool. She supervises student theses and is an assistant supervisor for doctoral students.

Collaborations and assignments

Martina Norling is part of the Nordic research group Nordic Early Literacy Education (NELE). The research group is planning for future projects such as data collection and article writing, as well as joint presentations at conferences. The common research area is "Early Childhood Literacy".

She is also a member of the National Literacy Network and a Convenor of the international research- SIG, Multilingual Childhoods.

Management assignments:

Martina Norling is the programme coordinator for the Early Years Education Programme at Örebro University.

Research groups
Publications

Research groups

Practice based research in preschool

Publications

Articles in journals

Alatalo, T. , Magnusson, M. & Norling, M. (2025). Nordic Preschool Teachers' Views of the Physical and Psychological Literacy Environments Regarding Read-Alouds. Nordisk Barnehageforskning, 22 (1), 7-27. [BibTeX]
Alatalo, T. , Norling, M. , Magnusson, M. , Tjäru, S. , Hjetland, H. N. & Hofslundsengen, H. (2024). Read-aloud and writing practices in Nordic preschools. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 68 (3), 588-603. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2024). The social language environment - domain: ECEC teachers' self-reported ratings of strategies in teaching literacy. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. [BibTeX]
Hofslundsengen, H. , Magnusson, M. , Norling, M. , Tjäru, S. , Næss Hjetland, H. & Alatalo, T. (2023). ECEC Teachers’ Reported Practices and Attitudes Toward Read-Alouds in Nordic Multilingual Classrooms. Nordic Journal of Literacy Research, 9 (2), 20-37. [BibTeX]
Sandberg, G. & Norling, M. (2020). Teachers’ Perspectives on Promoting Reading and Writing for Pupils with Various Linguistic Backgrounds in Grade 1 of Primary School. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 64 (2), 300-312. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2020). Video Recording as a Method for Swedish Preschool Teachers to Analyze Multilingual Strategies. World Journal of Educational Research, 7 (1), 109-129. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2019). En studie om hur förskollärare och lärare resonerar om undervisningens innehåll i relation till barns språk-, läs- och skrivutveckling i förskola och förskoleklass. Nordisk Barnehageforskning, 18 (4), 1-16. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Sandberg, G. (2018). Swedish Preschool Teachers Perspectives on Multilingual Children’s Emergent Literacy Development. World Journal of Educational Research, 5 (1), 1-18. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Lillvist, A. (2016). Literacy-related play activities and preschool staffs strategies to support children’s concept development. World Journal of Education, 6 (5), 49-63. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. , Sandberg, A. & Almqvist, L. (2015). Engagement and emergent literacy practices in Swedish preschools. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23 (5), 619-634. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Sandberg, A. (2015). Language Learning in Outdoor Environments: Perspectives of preschool staff. Nordisk Barnehageforskning, 9 (1), 1-16. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2013). Preschool staff's view of emergent literacy approaches in Swedish preschools. Early Child Development and Care, 184 (4), 571-588. [BibTeX]
Luttropp, A. , Norling, M. & Balton, S. (2007). Intervention practice for preschool children in need of special support: a comparative analysis between South Africa and Sweden. South African Journal of Occupational Therapy, 37 (3), 22-24. [BibTeX]

Chapters in books

Norling, M. (2024). Avgörande litteracitetshändelser i förskolan. In: Polly Björk-Willén, Svenska som andraspråk i praktiken (pp. 95-112). Stockholm: Natur och kultur. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2023). Böcker som kommunikativa broar i samarbete för flerspråkiga barns språkutveckling. In: E. Ärlemalm-Hagsér; T. Vuorinen, Förskollärare – en profession i rörelse. Stockholm: Lärarförlaget. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2021). När pennan möter pappret i en flerspråkig förskolemiljö. In: Annica Löfdahl Hultman, Katarina Ribaeus, Förskollärarens metod och vetenskapsteori. Stockholm: Liber. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2019). Från gester till texter: om barns förutsättningar för språk-, läs- och skrivlärande i förskolan. In: Martina Norling, Maria Magnusson, Att möta barns sociala språkmiljö i förskolan: flerdimensionella perspektiv (pp. 86-99). Stockholm: Liber. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Sandberg, G. (2017). Förskollärares och lärares perspektiv på flerspråkiga barns språk-, skriv- och läsutveckling. In: Mia Heikkilä, Anne Lillvist, Flerspråkighet för lärande i förskola, förskoleklass och årskurs ett: perspektiv från tre samproduktionsprojekt (pp. 29-60). Västerås: School of Education, Culture and Communication, Mälardalen University. [BibTeX]
Heikkilä, M. , Lillvist, A. , Norling, M. & Wetso, G. (2017). Perspektiv från tresamproduktionsprojekt: en introduktion. In: Mia Heikkilä, Anne Lillvist, Flerspråkighet för lärande i förskola, förskoleklass och årskurs ett: perspektiv från tre samproduktionsprojekt (pp. 10-28). Västerås: School of Education, Culture and Communication, Mälardalen University. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2015). The Social Language Environment in Preschool: Theoretical Foundations and Didactic Implications. In: Anette Sandberg, Anders Garpelin, Children and young people in school and in society (pp. 9-25). New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.. [BibTeX]
Sandberg, A. & Norling, M. (2014). Pedagogiskt stöd och pedagogiska metoder. In: Anette Sandberg, Med sikte på förskolan: barn i behov av stöd (pp. 45-62). Lund: Studentlitteratur AB. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2009). Barnarbeten eller barns arbeten?. In: Tomas Saar, Solveig Hägglund, Annica Löfdahl Hultman, Det politiska barnet: bidrag till utforskandet av barn och barndom som politiska kategorier (pp. 31-41). Karlstad: Estetisk-filosofiska fakulteten, Pedagogik, Karlstads universitet. [BibTeX]

Conference papers

Norling, M. (2024). Literacy events and translanguaging practices, sustainable model for read aloud in ECEC settings. Paper presented at 32nd EECERA Annual Conferenece (EECERA 2024), Symposium: Developing Sustainable Early Childhood Education Systems: Comparisons, Contexts and the Cognoscenti, Brighton, England, September 3-6, 2024. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2024). Multilingualism – social and physical sustainable practices in ECEC settings: discussing semiotic landscapes, language immersion, sustainable practice, and collegial reflections. Paper presented at 32nd EECERA Annual Conferenece (EECERA 2024), Symposium: Developing Sustainable Early Childhood Education Systems: Comparisons, Contexts and the Cognoscenti, Brighton, England, September 3-6, 2024. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2023). Books as communicative tools for collaboration with guardians in a multicultural preschool. In: 31st EECERA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at 31st European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference (EECERA 2023), "Children’s Curiosity, Agency, and Participation. Challenges for Professional Action and Development", Lisbon, Portugal, August 30 - September 2, 2023. (pp. 128-129). [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2023). Multilingual Childhoods SIG Self-organised Symposium: BOOKS AS COMMUNICATIVE AND INTERACTION TOOLS IN MULTILINGUAL PRACTICES IN ECEC: DISCUSSING COLLABORATION, AGENCY, AND PARTICIPATION. In: 31st EECERA ANNUAL CONFERENCE: CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at 31st European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference (EECERA 2023), "Children’s Curiosity, Agency, and Participation. Challenges for Professional Action and Development", Lisbon, Portugal, August 30 - September 2, 2023. (pp. 128-128). [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2022). Preschool Teachers’ Self-Reported Assessment in Teaching Literacy Pilot-testing a new tool. In: Mikael Dal, EDUCATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN PRECARIOUS TIMES ABSTRACT BOOK. NERA CONFERENCE 2022. Paper presented at Inclusive Education for Students With Intellectual Disabilities. Nordic educational research association (NERA 2022), Reykjavik, Iceland, June 1-3, 2022. (pp. 65-66). School of Education, University of Iceland. [BibTeX]
Ehrström, M. & Norling, M. (2022). Preschool teachers’ views on Attentiveness in Preschool. In: 30th EECERA Annual Conference Conference Proceedings: Book of Abstracts. Paper presented at 30th European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA 2022), Glasgow, Scotland, August 23-26, 2022. (pp. 31-31). [BibTeX]
Alatalo, T. , Norling, M. , Magnusson, M. , Tjäru, S. , Hjetland Naess, H. & Hofslundsengen, H. (2020). Høgtlesing og tidlig skriving i svenske og norske barnehager. Paper presented at Norsk Barnehageforskningskonferanse: Å skape bærekraftige barnehager – perspektiver, muligheter og utfordringer. Digital konferense, September 28-30, 2020. [BibTeX]
Edlund, C. , Fritz, J. , Norling, M. & Lindh, C. (2018). Hur tror vi att vi lär oss?: en session om studenters uppfattningar om lärande. Paper presented at Nu 2018 – Det akademiska lärarskapet. Sveriges största mötesplats för utveckling av högre utbildning. Aros kongresscenter, Västerås, Sweden, October 9-11, 2018. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2018). Social language environment - preschool teacher´s didactic strategies to support multilingual children´s language and literacy learning in play activities. In: 28th EECERA Annual Conference Astract book. Paper presented at 28th EECERA Annual Conference: Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities, Budapest, Hungary, August 28-31, 2018. (pp. 67-68). [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2017). Children and multilingual children's conditions in language and literacy learning in preschool, preschool-class and primary school. Paper presented at 45th Congress of the Nordic Educational Research Association (NERA 2017), Copenhagen, Denmark, March 23-25, 2017. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2017). Social language environment – Multilingual children´s conditions to learn Swedish in Swedish preschools: Teachers´s beliefs and practices in multilingual context. In: 27th EECERA Annual Conference Abstract book. Paper presented at 27th EECERA Annual Conference: Social justice, solidarity and children's rights, Bologna, Italy, August 29 - September 1, 2017. (pp. 51-51). [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Lillvist, A. (2015). Let´s play! Playevents and preschool staffs strategies to support concept development in Swedish preschools. Paper presented at 43rd Nordic Educational Research Association Congress (NERA 2015), Gothenburg, Sweden, March 4-6, 2015. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2013). Engagement, Emergent Literacy Practices and Quality Dimensions in Swedish Preschools. Paper presented at NFPF konferens (Nordisk förening för pedagogisk forskning), Reykjavik, Iceland, March 7-9, 2013. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Almqvist, L. (2011). Children’s Voices in Early Childhood Education. Paper presented at Third conference of the international society on early intervention (ISEI), New York, USA, May 2-5, 2011. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Almqvist, L. (2011). Qualitative Aspects of Emergent Literacy Skills and Children´s Engagement in Swedich Preschools. Paper presented at 14th Biennial EARLI Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Education for a global Networked Society, Exeter, England, August 30 - September 3, 2011. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2010). Preschool as a context for language development in children. Paper presented at NFPF konferens (Nordisk förening för pedagogisk forskning), Malmö, Sweden, March 11-13, 2010. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2010). Preschool as the context for language development in children. Paper presented at World Congress of OMEP (World Organisation for Early Childhood Education), Gothenburg, Sweden, August 11-13, 2010. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. (2007). Early intervention for young children in preschool – general and specific support: Which pedagogical methods are applied in preschool for children in need of special support?. Paper presented at Research in Education and Rehabilitation Sciences. By Faculty and Education and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, June 14-16, 2007. [BibTeX]
Norling, M. & Sandberg, A. (2007). Which pedagogical methods, programs and support are applied in preschool for children in need of special support and grey zone children?. In: Research in Education and Rehabilitation Sciences. Paper presented at 7th International scientific conferences, Zagreb, Croatia, June 14-16, 2007. [BibTeX]

Conference proceedings (editor)

Norling, M. (ed.) & Magnusson, M. (ed.) (2019). Att möta barns sociala språkmiljö i förskolan: flerdimensionella perspektiv. Stockholm: Liber. [BibTeX]

Doctoral theses, monographs

Norling, M. (2015). Förskolan: en arena för social språkmiljö och språkliga processer. (Doctoral dissertation). Västerås: Mälardalen University. [BibTeX]