The principal aim of this study was to investigate what grammar is taught by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in both Swedish compulsory school (years 6-9) and upper secondary school (gymnasiet), how it is taught and why. Further questions investigated what research TESOL base their teaching on, what their attitudes are in relation to the relevant curriculum, and what research into grammar teaching (e.g. approaches and methods) has revealed. The study also examined the Swedish National Agency of Education’s views on grammar teaching. Six interviews were conducted with five teachers of English to speakers of other languages working in Swedish schools, and one Czech teacher of English to speakers of other languages working at an international school. The findings were evaluated against research into grammar teaching. Although the Swedish National Agency of Education recommends that school years 6-9 should include an explicit focus on grammar, it does not specify exactly what should be taught. At upper secondary level, teaching grammar is not mentioned at all in the main syllabus. As the only reference to it is buried in the accompanying detailed explanatory notes, teachers tend to interpret the English syllabus differently. Consequently, the syllabus does not encourage equal educational opportunities. Despite the Agency’s vague recommendations, five out of the six teachers in this study do teach grammar and believe it to be a key to language learning. However, the methods used by the five Swedish teachers in this study do not appear to be research informed, and three of them rely heavily on the textbook producers’ choice of grammatical items to focus on. On the other hand, the teacher in the international school clearly uses methods that are research informed. One of the problems appears to be that the teachers in Sweden do not have easy access to current research findings that are comprehensive and non-conflicting, neither during their time at university nor in their working life.

Is it Smart to Use Smartphones in School? A Quantitative Research on Using Smartphones as English-Teaching & Learning Tools in Lower & Upper Secondary School. By: Ludvig Björk This study aims to examine how the smartphone, when used as a tool in the Swedish EFL classroom, is viewed and used by educators in both upper and lower secondary schools. Through a survey, 23 teachers were asked questions regarding how they view the smartphone as a teaching & learning (T&L) tool. This survey was sent to four different schools. The survey consists of ten questions. The results show that most teachers are positive towards the use of smartphones as teaching & learning tools, with some reservations. They find it hazardous to use the device too often. Through this, the smartphone is not used as much as some teachers would like. The device is also used twice as much in lower secondary school compared to upper secondary school. The results of the present study corroborate with previous findings that indicate that the smartphone is used as a supplement rather than an active tool in the classroom. Even though teachers may find the tool risky to use, they also consider it an effective tool since it can be used in several ways.

This explorative research paper looks at the attitudes and experiences of four EFL teachers towards assessment of English as a foreign language. The study was carried out using qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. The paper discusses factors that impact attitudes towards assessment. Our findings show that assessment is affected by a variety of factors, including colleagues, the head teacher and guiding documents. Furthermore, this paper identifies the need for more teacher education regarding the process of assessment, specifically formative assessment.