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Article published In: Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Vol. 11:2 (2023) ► pp.255–282

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Swedish immersion in Finland and Swedish as a second-language subject in Sweden

Teacher perspectives from two primary schools

ORCiD logo with link | Stockholm University
ORCiD logo with link | Stockholm University
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Stockholm University.

Published online: 12 September 2023
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.21032.hed
Abstract
Based on fieldwork and interviews, we explore five teachers’ views about their teaching of Swedish as a second language in an early immersion school in Finland (Larch) and a linguistically heterogeneous primary school in Sweden (Chestnut). Drawing from ecological perspectives, we aim to contribute new knowledge on how second language teachers express their goals, teacher experiences and expertise depending on language and education policy as discursive-material reality. We discuss how societal, discursive and material differences were entangled with the teachers’ discourses, for example, the fact that Swedish immersion at Larch enjoyed a higher social status than Swedish as a second language at Chestnut. Concomitantly, the teachers adhered to pedagogical principles and the value of students’ linguistic and cultural repertoires in similar ways. We specifically discuss teacher autonomy as entwined with prevailing discursive-material realities, including distinct language education policies.
Abstrakt
Baserat på fältarbete och intervjuer undersöker vi fem lärares syn på sin undervisning i svenska som andraspråk i ett språkbadsprogram i en grundskola i Finland (Larch) och en språkligt heterogen grundskola i Sverige (Chestnut). Utifrån ekologiska perspektiv vill vi bidra med ny kunskap om hur andraspråkslärare uttrycker sina mål, lärarerfarenheter och expertis utifrån rådande språk- och utbildningspolicy, vilka vi analyserar som diskursiv och materiell realitet. Vi diskuterar hur samhälleliga, diskursiva och materiella olikheter var invävda i lärarnas diskurser, såsom det faktum att svenskt språkbad vid Larch hade högre social status än svenska som andraspråk vid Chestnut. Samtidigt värderade lärarna såväl pedagogiska principer som elevernas språkliga och kulturella repertoarer på liknande sätt. Vi diskuterar specifikt lärarautonomi som sammanflätad med rådande diskurser och materiella realiteter, inklusive olika språkutbildningspolicyer.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Language educational policies in Finland
    • 1.2Language education policies in Sweden
  • 2.Theoretical points of departure
    • 2.1Language teaching approaches for learners of additional languages
    • 2.2The multilayeredness of language (education) policy
    • 2.3The study of the classroom as an unbounded system
  • 3.Methodology
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1Main objectives and rationale for teaching Swedish as a second language at Larch
    • 4.2Main objectives and rationale for teaching Swedish as a second language at Chestnut
    • 4.3Summary of expressed objectives and rationale
    • 4.4Multilingual language practices at Larch
    • 4.5Multilingual language practices at Chestnut
    • 4.6Summary of multilingual language practices
  • 5.Concluding discussion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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