Support measures for bilingual children in early childhood education

The municipal authorities are obliged to offer language stimulation training to bilingual children living in Denmark who are assessed as being in need of such support. The provision governing this area is the Act on Day Care Facilities. It is compulsory for bilingual children to participate in language stimulation training.

According to the Consolidation Act on Public Day-care Facilities etc. bilingual children who are considered in need of language stimulation must attend either 15 or 30 hours of language stimulation training per week depending on their individual needs, status of enrolment in day-care centres etc.

Support measures for bilingual children in school education

The area of bilingual children in the Folkeskole is regulated by the Folkeskole Act. Proficiency in Danish is essential for participation in teaching, and bilingual pupils who do not yet have sufficient language skills are entitled to targeted support. 

Bilingual pupils in primary and lower secondary schools are offered training in ‘Danish as a second language’ if so, decided by the school leader. The subject ‘Danish as a second language’ is governed by the Ministerial Order on The Folkeskole’s teaching in Danish as a Second Language.

If the bilingual pupil needs basic instruction in Danish, he or she will be referred to teaching in a reception class, teaching in teams or individual instruction. Bilingual pupils who participate in the ordinary teaching, but who are in need of special support, are referred to supplementary teaching in Danish as a second language. Decisions regarding the type and extent of support are made by the school leader on the basis of an assessment of the pupil’s needs, and the number of lessons is adapted accordingly.

Furthermore, a limited number of bilingual children in primary and lower secondary schools are offered mother-tongue tuition. The provision governing mother-tongue tuition is the Ministerial Order on the Folkeskoles Mother-tongue tuition.

Children residing in asylum centres receive Danish language instruction aimed at providing an initial introduction to the Danish language and culture. At accommodation centres, children participate in education corresponding to that provided to other immigrant pupils in the Folkeskole, and the number of teaching hours must correspond to the minimum number of hours at the equivalent age level in compulsory education.

Support measures for pupils with dyslexia

Support for pupils with dyslexia is based on early identification, targeted pedagogical interventions and access to appropriate compensatory support. A national dyslexia test is used from the 3rd grade of primary school to higher education to ensure systematic and consistent identification of dyslexia. Following identification, pupils are entitled to special educational support, which may include adapted teaching approaches, additional instructional support and the use of assistive technologies.

The Ministry of Children and Education has developed the dyslexia test in collaboration with the National Board of Social Services, Centre for Reading Research at Copenhagen University and the School Research Programme IUP at Aarhus University. The dyslexia test contributes to a secure and uniform identification of dyslexia both across municipal boundaries and educational programmes. As a follow-up on the test, the Ministry of Children and Education have developed educational guidance material on efforts targeted dyslexic pupils in primary school.

Support for pupils with dyslexia has been strengthened through a range of national initiatives. These initiatives emphasise the systematic integration of digital assistive technologies, such as reading- and writing-support software (IT-backpack), into everyday teaching across subjects. At the same time, professional development opportunities for teachers have been expanded, with a focus on dyslexia-friendly teaching practices and inclusive learning environments. Recent initiatives also place greater emphasis on coordination and guidance to ensure continuity of support throughout compulsory education, including during transitions between school stages. Overall, these developments reflect a shift towards a more inclusive and holistic approach, where support for dyslexia is embedded in mainstream teaching and shared across the school as a whole.

Quality assurance of support measures is ensured through municipal supervision, school-level follow-up and national guidance. Municipalities are responsible for monitoring whether pupils receive the support to which they are entitled, while schools are expected to assess the effectiveness of support measures on an ongoing basis and adjust them as needed.

The initiative puts focus on dyslexic pupils receiving support from the very beginning of their educational programme. The Ministry of Children and Education estimates that more pupils will be able to complete their educational programme with these backpacks.

For additional information, please consult: Bekendtgørelse om folkeskolens specialundervisning og anden specialpædagogisk bistand.