This study, conducted in an English 6 course at a Swedish upper secondary school, employed a unique educational research design by integrating manga adaptations with their typological source texts to explore the pedagogical potential of a comparative approach to teaching classics in line with pupils’ experiences. The investigation focused on three key questions: pupils’ initial attitudes towards literature, the effects of the comparative approach, and its impact on understanding the source text. Data were collected through a series of questionnaires as well as three group interviews before being examined thematically. The findings were then analysed and discussed using the theoretical frameworks of transmedia storytelling, Langer’s theory of envisionment, and affordance. The findings indicate that the pupils initially had negative attitudes towards English literature, viewing it as difficult and unengaging. However, including manga significantly improved their engagement and comprehension, foremost due to its visual elements. The pupils also reported that manga made reading more motivating because of its different modes, compared to the source text. However, the pupils regarded the manga as less effective in promoting vocabulary expansion compared to the source texts, thus highlighting the importance of a balanced approach. Furthermore, the comparative approach, engaging with both versions, allowed the pupils to view the story from multiple perspectives, thereby enriching their understanding and deepening their comprehension. This approach also promoted pupils’ exploration of genres.  Overall, the study suggests that incorporating a manga adaptation alongside its source text can address the diverse needs of pupils, thus making literature more accessible and engaging. This particular comparative approach could promote a multifaceted learning experience by encouraging the inclusion of varied pedagogical materials. Its pedagogical potential lies in its alignment with contemporary pupils’ cognitive patterns, which may contribute to enhancing the teaching of classic literature without excluding the benefits of typological texts.

This is a qualitative interview study aiming to examine the concept of tolerance as it is a core value in the curriculum for the Swedish upper secondary school and high school. The concept of tolerance is linked to the subject of religious studies. A total of six teachers were interviewed regarding their understanding and interpretation of the concept, as well as its place in their teaching. The method of analysis was hermeneutic and the statements made by the teachers were further analyzed in the light of normcritical pedagogy and didactical awareness. The results show a diversified understanding of the concept, manifested in a broad scale of attitudes to it, ranging from negative to positive, though all were based on a reflective approach. This affected the teachers' tendency to include, or focus on, the concept of tolerance in their teaching, varying from active inclusion to exclusion. The discussion focuses on the differences and difficulties associated with acts of tolerance versus attitudes of tolerance. The teachers define religious studies as a subject with heavy focus on interpersonal relations. Acts of tolerance are therefore problematic as they are also acts of power between individuals and groups. This shows the didactical importance of discussing the concept of tolerance, mainly in relation to attitudes and acts, between teachers as well as in the classroom.

The aim of this paper is to highlight and analyze the attitude towards and expectations of ICT and digital tools amongst Swedish EFL teachers in secondary/upper secondary school. In addition, this paper also contains results and analysis of how teachers most commonly acquire new digital learning tools, as well as what they consider to be most important when incorporating ICT in the classroom. Another contributing factor behind conducting this study is the upcoming changes to the current curriculum, as the Swedish Government (Regeringskansliet) decided that changes shall be made in order to ensure and enhance the digital competence amongst Swedish students (Regeringskansliet 2017). The results and analysis are based on a questionnaire sent out through Facebook and Google Forms, targeting two different groups with the purpose of serving as networks for teachers of English within the Swedish educational system. Combining their answers as well as comparing to previous research, this study identifies, and argues for, two key aspects responsible for improving the ICT competence amongst Swedish EFL teachers in secondary/upper secondary school; high quality digital learning tools and the ability to identify your ICT skill and pick digital tools accordingly. Moreover, this study reinforces the claim made in previous studies that the attitudes towards ICT and digital learning tools amongst Swedish EFL teachers are overwhelmingly positive. However, the study also shows a lack of quality concerning in-service teacher training, resulting in a majority of teachers learning ICT and digital learning tools on their own. Finally, answers show a juxtaposition regarding what teachers actually wish for in order to facilitate the work with ICT and digital learning tools.

Pragmatic competence has become an essential component of L2 (second language) proficiency. The purpose of this case study is to investigate how pragmatic competence in English is taught in a public Swedish secondary and upper secondary school. The aim with this study is to reach an in-depth understanding of how the teachers in this specific school view, value and teach pragmatic competence. The study has a qualitative approach and was conducted through semi-structured interviews with two teachers. In addition to the interviews, an analysis of the pedagogic material used in the classroom was made. The most significant findings of the study show that pragmatic competence and cultural knowledge are teachable and are indeed being taught in the studied school. Different types of oral activities are the mostly used pedagogical practices to teach different aspects of pragmatic competence. The aspects of pragmatic competence that are in focus, in both secondary and upper secondary school, are formal and informal language, adaptation of the language and politeness.

This study regards the central content and knowledge requirements for the subject of English 5 in the Swedish upper secondary school system. The study is based on an analytical reading of the documents and is complemented by a questionnaire that was answered by upper secondary school teachers. The aim of the study was to investigate what parts of the documents lack clarity, from a new teacher’s perspective. The study finds a few examples of terms that are likely to confuse new teachers when grading students. Furthermore, questions were raised regarding the course in general, such as how to give the students confidence to speak English, when to use Swedish in the classroom and which English speech communities and cultures teachers should focus on. The questionnaire provided answers that could be helpful to newly graduated English teachers who are preparing to work in the Swedish upper secondary school system.

The purpose of this essay is to identify effective ways of teaching English vocabulary at upper secondary level in Sweden. We have answered three research questions: -  In what ways do local English teachers at the upper secondary level teach vocabulary? -  How do local students at the upper secondary level perceive their acquisition and learning of English vocabulary? -  According to research regarding vocabulary acquisition, what is necessary to include when constructing an effective module for teaching vocabulary?  We gathered the data needed to answer the research questions by conducting interviews with both teachers and students as well as an independent study. The independent study investigated which of six pre picked vocabulary teaching methods gave the best results in a single English 6 class and was the most preferred by those students. The interviews as well as the independent study indicated that one of the most effective ways of teaching vocabulary is through context-based exercises. Our conclusion is that the students’ retention of new vocabulary may be directly connected to the amount of context in which the words are taught. Based on our findings, we have constructed frameworks for a series of lessons which focus on teaching vocabulary.

The aim of this study is to investigate how the transition into remote education in Swedish upper-secondary schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the implementation of communicative tasks during lessons in English as a foreign language, and its consequences on students’ willingness to speak. For this purpose, the following three research questions were posed: 1. In which ways have communicative classroom activities in Swedish upper-secondary schools been affected by remote education according to English as a foreign language learners? 2. According to English as a foreign language learners, in which ways have their willingness to speak English been affected by remote education in Swedish upper-secondary schools? 3. What are some aspects that have influenced English as a foreign language learners’ willingness to speak English during remote education in Swedish upper-secondary schools? A total of 128 students from different upper-secondary schools and regions in Sweden were surveyed, after which three of them were interviewed. The data were then analyzed using a univariate and content analysis method. The results of the study suggest that remote education has entailed an immense impact on the communicative classroom. All studied communicative activities decreased in amount, as did the students’ willingness to speak English. This is a consequence of aspects such as technical complications, difficulties in reading others’ body language, locational restraints, and learning objectives.

This study aimed to investigate in what ways a group of Swedish teachers and students of English at upper secondary school can provide and maintain motivation for learning English when required to transfer their teaching from the physical classroom to online mode. Two questionnaires were answered by 46 upper secondary school students and eight English teachers. The questionnaires were supplemented with separate interviews in which six students and two teachers participated. The questionnaires were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis model (2006), while the data resulting from the interviews was analysed through a phenomenological approach inspired by Amedeo Giorgi’s four-phase phenomenological method described in Phenomenology and Psychology Research (1985). The result of the study showed that students are motivated to learn English if they have a functioning relationship with their teacher, if they have friends who motivate them, and if lessons vary in format. However, when transferred to online mode, motivation was difficult to sustain. The students’ primary source of motivation, in the form of physical- and social connections was lost. Both students and teachers experienced online education as time-consuming.

Grammar is an essential part of language learning. Thus, it is important that teachers know how to efficiently teach grammar to students, and with what approach - explicitly orimplicitly as well as through Focus on Forms (FoFs), Focus on Form (FoF) or Focus onMeaning (FoM). Furthermore, the common use of textbooks in English education in Sweden makes it essential to explore how these present grammar. Therefore, to make teachers aware of what grammar teaching approach a textbook has, this degree project intends to examine how and to what degree English textbooks used in Swedish upper secondary schools can be seen to exhibit an overall explicit or implicit approach to grammar teaching. The aim is to analyze three English 5 textbooks that are currently used in classrooms in Sweden, through the use of relevant research regarding grammar teaching as well as the steering documents for English 5 in Swedish upper secondary school. The analysis was carried out with the help of a framework developed by means of research on explicit and implicit grammar teaching as well as the three grammar teaching approaches FoFs, FoF and FoM. Thus, through the textbook analysis, we set out to investigate whether the textbooks present grammar instruction explicitly or implicitly and through FoFs, FoF or FoM. After having collected research on the topic of how to teach grammar, it became apparent that researchers on grammar teaching agree that FoF is the most beneficial out of the three above mentioned approaches, and thus, we decided to take a stand for this approach throughout the project. The results of this study showed that two out of three textbooks used overall implicit grammar teaching through FoM. Moreover, one out of the three textbooks used overall explicit grammar teaching through an FoF approach.

To gain a deeper understanding of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers’ knowledge, thoughts, and beliefs about written feedback (WF), this thesis explored four Swedish upper secondary school EFL teachers’ cognitions about WF, the sources of their cognitions about WF, and ways in which their cognitions about WF are reflected in their actual feedback practices. To carry out this exploratory investigation, the study made use of semi-structured interviews, sample student texts with teacher WF, and stimulated recall interviews. Using thematic analysis, the findings revealed five main themes of cognitions about WF: WF as a tool based on student needs, basis for discussion, precise error, progression tracker, and self-sufficiency. The findings also show that the three main sources of cognitions about WF were receiving WF, practicum & teacher education, and learning by doing. An implication of this study is that EFL teachers need to give different types of WF depending on the learner.