Danish L1 according to the learning materials used — a quantitative study: Contribution to a special issue Special issue Danish as L1 in a Learning Materials Perspective

Textbooks or learning materials are an important and essential link between the intended and implemented curriculum in schools, and they play a vital role in how the curriculum is taught in classrooms. The learning material market in Denmark is open and dominated by private companies with no official approval system, and historically, Danish teachers have had a large influence on which materials they use. Research on the characteristics and use of learning materials is therefore of importance to researchers, policy makers and teachers. Little systematic research has been conducted into the learning materials
used in Danish L1, and even internationally, research into the content and pedagogical approaches of the learning materials used is limited. This article highlights the pedagogical learning materials used in L1 in Denmark by presenting a representative survey of which learning materials Danish L1 teachers (n = 639) reported using. The listed materials (n = 2,132) were analysed for content and pedagogical approaches, and Danish L1 is characterized from a learning material perspective. The results show a subject dominated by a repetitive pedagogical approach as well as repetitive spelling instruction and literary analysis, which is not in line with the national curriculum.