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The Swedish preschool is internationally known for its high quality. Children in Sweden are given early educational opportunities to learn and develop prior to their school start. The Swedish preschool activity should include an overall language developmental approach; however, studies show that the children's conditions for language instruction vary intra-nationally. While the Swedish preschool curriculum reflects on children's desire to learn, the preschool staff should be aware of their own practical theory in order to arrange for learning. Research show that early childhood education of high quality benefits children's future school results. Thus, this research aims at studying children's opportunities for quality learning and development in the Swedish preschool, by exploring the content of preschool teaching. The role of the preschool is to provide all children with an education of high quality. This study aims at investigating what quality can mean in terms of preschool language instruction. To generate an understanding of quality, the study focuses on the structure and process inputs in six public preschools and two municipalities. To provide insights about the preschools' practices, a qualitative approach has been used to conduct interviews with preschool heads and employees from education administrations, as well as questionnaires with preschool staff and observations of learning environments. As the quality inputs vary between the preschools and municipalities it affects the outputs of the children's language development. This research makes it evident that the outcomes are mainly dependent on the preschool staff's abilities and competences of implementing development. / Den svenska förskolan är internationellt känd för sin höga kvalitet. Barn i Sverige ges tidiga utbildningsmöjligheter för lärande och utveckling inför deras skolstart. Den svenska förskoleverksamheten bör omfatta ett övergripande språkutvecklande arbetssätt, men däremot visar studier att barnens förutsättningar för språkinlärning varierar inom landet. Medan den svenska förskolans läroplan reflekterar barns lust att lära, bör förskolepersonalen ändå vara medveten om sin egen praktiska teori för att arrangera för lärande. Forskning visar att förskoleverksamheter av hög kvalitet gynnar barns framtida skolresultat. Därmed syftar denna studie på att undersöka barns möjligheter för kvalitet i lärande och utvecklande inom den svenska förskolan, genom att utforska innehållet av förskolans pedagogiska arbete. Förskolans roll är att erbjuda alla barn en utbildning av hög kvalitet. Denna studie syftar på att undersöka vad kvalitet kan innebära i relation till språkinlärning. För att få en förståelse för kvalitet fokuserar denna studie på de struktur- och processinriktade insatserna inom sex kommunala förskolor och två kommuner. För att ge insikt om förskolornas praktik har ett kvalitativt förhållningssätt använts för att genomföra intervjuer med förskolechefer och tjänstemän från utbildningsförvaltningar, samt enkäter med förskolepersonal och observationer av läromiljöer. Eftersom kvalitetsinsatserna varierar mellan förskolorna och kommunerna påverkar detta resultaten av barnens språkutveckling. Denna studie tydliggör att resultaten beror framför allt på förskolepersonalens förmågor och kompetenser att utveckla verksamheten.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two methods of instruction for second language acquisition. The first method used a computer based software program known as English Language Learning Instructional System (ELLIS). The second method used Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE).

Content-based language instruction has gained widespread acceptance as an effective approach in a range of educational settings for adults and children. It is premised on the belief that language and content are inextricably linked and that learning is enhanced through an integrated approach. Yet the nature of the relationship between content and language, and how integration can be achieved in the content-based language classroom, continue to be points of divergence for both researchers and practitioners. One approach to this question draws on research in form-focused instruction (FFI), which describes various instructional options that draw learners’ attention to form in primarily meaning and content-based classrooms. While widely accepted that FFI has a positive impact on language learning outcomes in a variety of contexts, FFI research in content-based language programs for adults has been limited. This study investigated the effect and effectiveness of FFI in a content-based language program designed to prepare adult newcomers to Canada for employment in a specific workplace sector. Two groups of adult learners participated in the study. One group of 16 adults received content-based instruction integrated with FFI while the other group of 20 adults received the same content-based instruction with a focus on meaning only. A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test/delayed post-test design was adopted for this comparative study in order to measure language and content outcomes. Language measures included an error correction task, a cloze task, and oral production tasks. Content outcomes were measured via content tests. In addition, a retrospective awareness protocol was designed to assess learners’ awareness of language and content in their instruction and to explore the relationship between this awareness and language development. ANOVA and ANCOVA results indicated that there was no advantage for the participants receiving form-focused instruction on language outcomes but a significant benefit on the content knowledge tests. Analysis of the retrospective report data indicated that the participants were able to identify the focus of the instruction they received. However, no relationship between awareness of language and language development was found. These findings are discussed in light of previous research and in terms of their implications for content-based language instruction.

Content-based language instruction has gained widespread acceptance as an effective approach in a range of educational settings for adults and children. It is premised on the belief that language and content are inextricably linked and that learning is enhanced through an integrated approach. Yet the nature of the relationship between content and language, and how integration can be achieved in the content-based language classroom, continue to be points of divergence for both researchers and practitioners. One approach to this question draws on research in form-focused instruction (FFI), which describes various instructional options that draw learners’ attention to form in primarily meaning and content-based classrooms. While widely accepted that FFI has a positive impact on language learning outcomes in a variety of contexts, FFI research in content-based language programs for adults has been limited. This study investigated the effect and effectiveness of FFI in a content-based language program designed to prepare adult newcomers to Canada for employment in a specific workplace sector. Two groups of adult learners participated in the study. One group of 16 adults received content-based instruction integrated with FFI while the other group of 20 adults received the same content-based instruction with a focus on meaning only. A quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test/delayed post-test design was adopted for this comparative study in order to measure language and content outcomes. Language measures included an error correction task, a cloze task, and oral production tasks. Content outcomes were measured via content tests. In addition, a retrospective awareness protocol was designed to assess learners’ awareness of language and content in their instruction and to explore the relationship between this awareness and language development. ANOVA and ANCOVA results indicated that there was no advantage for the participants receiving form-focused instruction on language outcomes but a significant benefit on the content knowledge tests. Analysis of the retrospective report data indicated that the participants were able to identify the focus of the instruction they received. However, no relationship between awareness of language and language development was found. These findings are discussed in light of previous research and in terms of their implications for content-based language instruction.