The aim of the present study is to find out what the self-perceptions of Greek non-native speaking teachers of English (non-NESTs) are regarding their effectiveness as foreign language teachers. What is more, the study aims to explore the Greek non-NESTs’ perceptions about their teaching employability opportunities, in positions for which NESTs also apply. More specifically, in the present study, 32 non-NEST Greek participants were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding their self-perceptions as non-NEST teachers, their experiences with issues of equality in teaching employment opportunities, on the basis of their non-nativeness, and their self-perceived teaching differences and/or similarities with native speaking teachers of English. The results of the study revealed that, in general, the participants are confident in teaching the language. However, they seem to be sceptical about the possibilities of a Greek non-NEST to be preferred for a private school teaching position, over a native-speaking teacher candidate. The study also showed that the Greek participants claimed grammar and syntactic knowledge, as well as the opportunity to use their and their students’ first language (L1) during lessons, to be their most significant teaching assets -with the latter possibly further contributing to the development of the target language, as long as the non-NEST knows the appropriate mechanisms to enhance L2 literacy development through the use of the L1. At the same time, the English language levels where they report needing stronger proficiency are pronunciation and vocabulary.

This study aims to explore teacher beliefs on accents in the classroom and how they affect classroom practices as well as the teachers views on the LFC approach. Furthermore, the study investigates whether there exists a possible disconnect between teachers and the Swedish National Agency for Education when it comes to deciding what approach to take when teaching English pronunciation. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with five Secondary school and Upper Secondary School English teachers in Sweden, whose work experience ranged from six months to 22 years. The study found that the teachers with more experience were more likely to prefer the inner circle English accents and use them as a benchmark for correctness. Phenomena like the native-speaker ideal, which means to idealize native speakers and view them as better speakers of English, can be linked to the teachers age and experience. Moreover, some teachers expressed feeling pressure from students to sound native-like and felt disfavored as some schools showed a preference for hiring native speakers as English teachers. Thus, a haloeffect for teachers speaking with an inner-circle English accent was identified, which affects students’ and employers’ perception of non-native EFL-teachers. The study also found that while some of the teachers were familiar with the Lingua Franca Core model, none of them had taught it. The study concludes that there is a disconnect between the teachers and Skolverket’s steering documents, as most of the teachers felt that Skolverket does not explicitly call for pronunciation teaching and were unsure of the demands. Furthermore, this calls for clearer demands from Skolverket as well as re-formation programs for experienced teacher to change their beliefs on non-native accents.

This systematic literature review investigates peer feedback in EFL education. Findings on practices, effects and teacher- and student perceptions of peer feedback are drawn together and thereby a multifaceted understanding of the phenomenon in EFL-related research is offered. The purpose of the study is to review and systematize previous research in order to enhance the understanding of peer feedback practices, effects and perceptions. Ten articles of practices, effects and perceptions were selected for this systematic literature review. The findings indicate that peer feedback is effective as it contributes to students’ written and oral L2 development. Organized feedback from teachers is more effectful as it gives learners clear instructions of what to focus on. Therefore, the teacher has an important role in peer feedback practices in order to make it as efficient as possible. Teacher- and student perceptions were both positive and negative. Teachers reported learners’ ability to identify errors in peer’s performance as a benefit. Yet, lack of knowledge, incompatibility with the educational system and learners’ low proficiency level were reported motives for not using peer feedback in their EFL classroom. Students perceived peer feedback as useful as it improved their L2 learning. Organized peer feedback was particularly highlighted. Lack of confidence due to limited proficiency level, interpersonal relationships, motivation and time were reported as difficulties in peer feedback practices. Further research in the field of the teacher role in peer feedback is requested.

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This essay aims to explore how Swedish teachers of English view the shift from a Native Speaker ideal to English as a Global Language in connection to pronunciation teaching. The essay also aims to explore how the teachers teach this in practice. By interviewing five professional teachers, the results of the study showed that most of the teachers did not teach pronunciation explicitly and believed that pronunciation teaching should be integrated into other parts of language learning. None of the teachers claimed to expect their students to be able to speak with a native accent but believed that the previous views on pronunciation teaching, to some extent, still lingers on. Furthermore, all teachers did use American English or British English when teaching pronunciation but did not expect their students to use these dialects when speaking English. The teachers believed that their students mainly spoke with a dialect influenced by American English since this dialect is what the students mostly hear outside the classroom.This essay is primarily relevant to Swedish EFL teachers and students who are becoming teachers of English, but this study may also contribute to global research within pronunciation teaching. Because of the lack of guidelines regarding pronunciation teaching in the syllabus, the insight in the views and teaching methods of pronunciation teaching can function as a guideline and inspiration for how to teach pronunciation in a continuously globalized world where the views on the English language continually changes.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study explores English academic writing in a Libyan university. The results show a number of challenges and issues that Libyan university students experience in using English for academic writing. The study suggests intervention procedures that may correct students’ linguistic academic deficiencies. Using Gee (1999)’s D/discourse theory and Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and field, which view writing as a social practice embedded in social activities, the study takes a purely qualitative approach, presenting data descriptions by both students and lecturers. The sample size of the investigation is eight – four lecturers and four students. The data was collected mainly through classroom observation, open-ended interviews and an analysis of students’ assignment essays. The results indicate several areas of challenge for Libyan students with regard to academic writing; a lack of adequate ‘scaffolding’, a lack of ample time spent on authentic practice, and inappropriate immediate feedback. Findings also show a lack of teaching methods and strategies that correct syntactical and morphological errors, and a lack of skills – research skills. Further to this, results revealed a lack of synthesis and summary skills, referencing skills – and a lack of confidence in tackling academic writing tasks. In addition, the lack of appropriate materials to consult was a contributing factor, as was students’ social and economic status. The study calls for various interventions that may assist students to acquire academic writing skills and hence develop a sense of confidence in taking on academic tasks.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study explores English academic writing in a Libyan university. The results show a number of challenges and issues that Libyan university students experience in using English for academic writing. The study suggests intervention procedures that may correct students’ linguistic academic deficiencies. Using Gee (1999)’s D/discourse theory and Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and field, which view writing as a social practice embedded in social activities, the study takes a purely qualitative approach, presenting data descriptions by both students and lecturers. The sample size of the investigation is eight – four lecturers and four students. The data was collected mainly through classroom observation, open-ended interviews and an analysis of students’ assignment essays. The results indicate several areas of challenge for Libyan students with regard to academic writing; a lack of adequate ‘scaffolding’, a lack of ample time spent on authentic practice, and inappropriate immediate feedback. Findings also show a lack of teaching methods and strategies that correct syntactical and morphological errors, and a lack of skills – research skills. Further to this, results revealed a lack of synthesis and summary skills, referencing skills – and a lack of confidence in tackling academic writing tasks. In addition, the lack of appropriate materials to consult was a contributing factor, as was students’ social and economic status. The study calls for various interventions that may assist students to acquire academic writing skills and hence develop a sense of confidence in taking on academic tasks.

This study aims at exploring (1) the circumstances under which some Swedish learners of English are likely to participate in conversations in the target language, and (2) how teachers in upper secondary school might increase these students' willingness to communicate (WTC) in English during lessons. Five students retaking the mandatory first course of English in Swedish upper secondary school volunteered for the study. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results of the study showed that learners perceive the learning environment to be a ma jor factor affecting their WTC. Moreover, it was concluded that being able to convey a message is important for the students, and that uncertainty about whether or not they will be able to do so strongly affects their WTC. The results also showed that their WTC is strongly connected to their listening comprehension. In light of the reported beliefs and perceptions of the learners, it is suggested that students can be trained for strategies to use when they encounter problems in vocabulary retrieval as well as listening comprehension. Repeating exercises to make the learners feel safe has also been a suggestion.

I läroplanen för engelska i grundskolan föreligger ett stort fokus på den kommunikativa förmågan, samtidigt upplever elever en ovilja till att kommunicera på engelska under lektionerna. I förhandenvarande studie undersöktes hur lärare i årskurs 4-6 didaktiskt strukturerar sin undervisning för att motivera elever till att kommunicera på engelska i skolan. För att besvara frågeställningarna “Vilka förutsättningar menar lärare är centrala för elevers vilja att kommunicera på engelska under engelskundervisning?” och “Vilka didaktiska val gör lärare för att motivera elever till att kommunicera på engelska under engelskundervisningen?” har intervjuer genomförts med sex behöriga lärare i engelska på årskurs 4-6. Empirin har analyserats utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. Resultaten visar att lärare upplever klassrumsklimatet som centralt för att eleverna ska känna sig trygga att kommunicera på engelska under lektionerna. Det framkommer även som fördelaktigt att vara flera vuxna eller lärare under lektionerna för att ge utrymme för stöttning samt undervisning eller aktiviteter i mindre grupper. I enlighet med tidigare forskning beskriver lärarna även en omfattande vilja till variation gällande de aktiviteter som genomförs under lektionerna, något som ansågs uppmuntra till kommunikation på målspråket engelska. Lärarens roll som förebild beskrivs i studien som viktig då läraren modellerar målspråksanvändning för eleverna, vilket uppmuntrar eleverna till kommunikation på engelska. Tidigare forskning och resultaten i denna studie förespråkar till stor del samma didaktiska val. Vidare forskning bör dock undersöka skillnader mellan lärares uppfattning av sin egen undervisningspraktik i relation till vad som kan observeras utifrån lärares lektioner.

Engelska som skolämne behöver bemöta eleverna på ett motiverande sätt och ha ett innehåll som främjar elevernas språkförmågor så att de kan bli trygga språkanvändare på engelska i framtiden. Forskning anser att läsning är en grundläggande nyckel för att skaffa ny kunskap. Genom att använda bilderböcker i språkundervisning som ett undervisningsinstrument kan elevernas upplevelse och motivation främjas, vilket vidare kan påverka deras framtidaanvändande av målspråket. Syftet med denna studie är, för det första, att undersöka elevers upplevelse av att läraren använder bilderböcker i engelskundervisning och för det andra hur eleverna då upplever sin motivation till att lära sig engelska språket genom dessa. I studien utgår vi ifrån två frågeställningar: 1) Hur eleverna upplever engelskundervisningen genom att läraren använder engelska bilderböcker i den? 2) Hur eleverna upplever att deras motivation till att lära sig engelska språket påverkas genom att läraren använder engelska bilderböcker i undervisningen? Studien utgår ifrån en kvalitativ metod och en fenomenografisk teori där vi valt att samla indata genom semistrukturerade fokusgruppsintervjuer. Urvalet till studien var 7 elever som har erfarit engelskundervisning där läraren har använt engelska bilderböcker i närtid. Under studiens genomförande gick eleverna i en årskurs tre och var mellan 9 till 10 år. Analysarbetet av den insamlade data vi erhållit har utgått ifrån fenomenografiskt ramverk, vilket fokuserar på elevernas egna personliga upplevelser av fenomenet. Utifrån en fenomenografisk analysmodell i sju steg har elevernas utsagor delats in i tre övergripande beskrivningskategorier. I resultatet urskiljs tre beskrivningskategorier såsom: elevernas upplevelse, deras upplevelse av motivation och deras vision kopplat till engelskundervisning där läraren använt engelska bilderböcker. Resultatet visar att eleverna upplever klassrumsmiljön som lugnande och inspirerande när läraren använder engelska bilderböcker i engelskundervisning. De upplever att de motiveras av intresseväckande händelser i bilderboken, men också bokens rika bilder och väl avvägda text. Dessutom visar resultatet att eleverna har utvecklat en vilja och ett självförtroende att läsa en bilderbok på engelska på egen hand.