Throughout our teacher education, we have seen and felt the need for suitable literature in the English courses for upper secondary education in Sweden. Our purpose was to investigate which literature teachers in the field are using in their different courses, and with that constitute a list that can be used by teachers. Furthermore, we also investigated, among other things, which qualities the teachers are looking for when choosing suitable literature for their students and courses. Previous research has shown the significance of using literature for language and cultural development, and therefore a list as ours can contribute to aiding upper secondary teachers. To execute this research, we have chosen to use both a qualitative and quantitative method, in the form of a survey and interviews. Our results showed that all teachers are using some sort of literature for language development, and the vast majority are having difficulties finding suitable literature for their students. Moreover, the vast majority of our interviewees took a negative stand towards having an official canon, however they were open for using an unofficial canon as inspiration.

The purpose of this essay was to investigate how teachers’ assessments in the SwedishUpper Secondary School are affected by the national tests in English language courses.By conducting a qualitative investigation in the shape of interviews with six teachers, Iaimed to show how the teachers feel that their profession is affected by the nationaltesting, whether it is positive or negative. This was done whilst also examining thenational tests within the context of school-developmental theory and assessment theory.The Swedish School Inspectorate have shown repeatedly in reports that there is a greatdiscrepancy regarding how students are assessed on a school-to-school basis which issomething that they wish to inhibit, as the Swedish school-system encouragesequivalency-based assessment. The national tests also tend to add stress both due to theadditional workload that the teachers experience, but also for the students who feelpressured to perform well under difficult testing situations.Since national testing in English is an annual assessment in Sweden teachers arecontinuously exposed to an additional workload at the end of each school year, whilststill being expected to handle their regular workload. To investigate how teachers feelabout the national tests in regards to how they perform their final assessments cantherefore be of importance, as it can provide us with an additional viewpoint as toexplain how or why national testing is or is not working in its current state.The results of the study show that although teachers find the national tests helpful sinceit provides them with additional material for assessment, the stress and additionalworkload does not outweigh the positives. There is also a tendency expressed that thenational tests tend to confirm what previous material has already shown regardingstudents. One suggestion for how the national tests can be bettered is to centralizemarking, as that would allow teachers to focus on teaching rather than worry aboutmarking. Overall, the results therefore show a negative impact on the teachers’ work.

Youths tend to spend less and less time reading, although they still consider that they would like to read more. This dilemma is particularly interesting within the teaching of the Swedish language in school since reading fiction is a vital part of the subjects’ content. The aim of this systematic literature study is to investigate upper secondary students’ perceptions of fiction reading. The current method implies searching for literature within a certain subject, followed by a critical review and coding of the chosen literature. The time range that is being investigated is from the 1970s and onwards, that is, a Swedish subject determined by three separate curriculums. The study shows that students tend to have a different amount of interest in reading but an important part of reading seems to be the possibility to choose the book yourself. The study can also demonstrate a distinct difference between the reading that students do at home and the reading that takes place in school.

The age of climate crisis is upon us, whether we accept it or not. Besides affecting the ecosphere that is earth, it affects all levels of society, including education. Therefore, this study poses the questions “How are different ecocritical perspectives presented in Where the Crawdads Sing?” and “Why and how should an ecocritical reading of Where the Crawdads Sing be used in the Swedish upper secondary school’s English curriculum to introduce wild pedagogies and foster a deeper understanding of ecological issues among students?”. The study analyses the novel Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens from an ecocritical perspective and discusses how such an analysis can be used to implement wild pedagogies in English courses in Swedish upper secondary school. This study mainly utilises Glotfelty’s, Fromm’s and Garrard’s perspectives of ecocriticism, but focus is placed on the ecocentric perspective to highlight the importance of nature. The findings show that an ecocritical close reading of the novel illustrates an ecocentric characterisation of nature which places it in the forefront of the narrative and underscores the importance of the relationship between nature and humanity. Furthermore, this ecocentric characterisation may be a valuable resource when trying to implement wild pedagogies in education based on its transferability from fiction to real life. In this study, only a few perspectives of ecocriticism have been utilised and the implementation of wild pedagogies is merely touched upon. Therefore, more research is encouraged to explore other aspects of ecocriticism and to further understand how an effective implementation of wild pedagogies could transpire.

School is one of the most important institutions society has for fostering its future citizens. Education policy can be seen as an important arena for the discursive struggle over the meaning of education, not only what it is for, its goals and purposes, but also its deficiencies. Education policies are not mirrors of reality but include a power dimension in describing the problems to be solved. Thus, a specific question or a particular phenomenon is given a certain value and meaning. The different articulations involved in represen­tations of problems construct certain subject positions of citizenship which are not open for everyone. This makes it essential to deconstruct these gendered, racialized and classed subject positions. In the same way as in the beginning of the 1990s, the Swedish school system is currently facing changes. The most recent reform of upper secondary education, implemented in 2011, needs to be viewed in a historical perspective. This thesis analyses discursive continuity and change with regard to representations of the problems, goals and purposes of upper secondary education during the period 1971-2011. Focus is also placed on changes and continuities in how the good future citizen is constructed and in what ways gender, class and ethnicity are produced in these constructions. The theoretical framework is inspired and informed by discourse theory, feminist theory and theories on citizenship. Adopting this approach, I analyse government policy documents concerning upper secondary education reforms. The analysis shows not only changes, but also the importance of continuities in the dominating discourses of a school for all (1971-1989); a school for lifelong learning (1990-2005); and a school for the labour market (2006-2011). A shift from integration to differentiation is revealed in which the silencing of signifiers, such as democracy, equality and multiculturalism, lead to a risk of unequal opportunities for people to politicize their experience and situation. The previous demands for retraining and flexibility, for emancipation and lifelong learning are marginalised in favour of employability, skill supply and entrepreneurship. The constructions of good future citizens as consumers become instead constructions of citizens as products for business and growth. A male productive worker and male entrepreneur are constructed, privileging a white middle class. Neo-liberal and neo-conservative influences, reinforce the individual’s responsibility to become included in what is constructed as a desired citizenship.

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Detta är en studie om vilken litteratur gymnasielärare i svenska använder i sin undervisning, och de bakomliggande motiveringarna och faktorerna till detta urval. Syftet är att besvara följande frågeställningar: Finns det en outtalad kanon inom gymnasiets undervisning i svenska, och vilken litteratur be- står den i så fall av? Mot vilken bakgrund och förkunskap väljer lärare i svenska på gymnasiet den litteratur de be- gagnar i sin undervisning?För att besvara frågeställningarna har en kvalitativ enkätstudie genomförts med 14 gymnasielä- rare i svenska. Resultatet visar på tendenser i lärarnas litteratururval som ligger nära en kanon. Det finns större likheter mellan vilka författare lärarna använder sig av i undervisningen än de verk som används av samma författare. Litteratururvalet som lärarna gör kan sägas spegla ett manligt, vitt och västerländskt perspektiv.De mest förekommande motiveringarna till att enskilda verk är viktiga att använda i undervis- ningen är att de tillhör kulturhistorien, har betydelse för kulturarvet och att de tillhör allmän- bildningen. Faktorer som påverkar urvalet är framförallt saker som finns i lärarens vardag såsom kollegor, utbud på skolan, elever, styrdokument och till mindre del eget intresse. Kanon, läromedel och utbildning har historiskt haft stor betydelse för litteratururvalet i skolan. Lärarna anser inte att de påverkas av detta i hög utsträckning idag. / This is a study on the literature selection that Swedish upper secondary school teachers use when teaching Swedish, and the underlying motives and factors contributing to the selection of certain literature. Two questions form the basis for the study:Is there an implicit canon in the teaching of Swedish in upper secondary school, and if so what literature does it consist of? Against what background and knowledge do teachers select the literature they use in their teaching? To answer the two questions, a qualitative questionnaire study answered by 14 upper secondary school teachers of Swedish has been performed. The results show that the selections of litera- ture teachers make have connections to a literary canon. The similarities are greater between the authors teachers use than between the works they use by these same authors. The literature that is taught in school can be said to reflect a male, white and western perspective.The most common reason why a certain work has been selected is that the work is part of the cultural history and heritage and also part of the basic general knowledge. When teachers make their selection they are affected by things in their near surroundings like colleagues, the book selection of the school, students, curricula and to a lesser extent their own interests. A literary canon, textbooks and education have had a great impact historically on the literature taught in school, but nowadays teachers believe themselves less influenced by these things.

Min studie undersöker en nyligen införd en-till-en-satsning i en svensk gymnasieskola, med tonvikt på upplevda utmaningar och möjligheter, liksom förhoppningar inför framtiden. Den metod jag valt är kvalitativa intervjuer med fem lärare, var och en slumpmässigt vald från varje utbildningsprogram skolan erbjuder. Studiens primära resultat är att lärarna verkar nöjda med satsningen, och tror den kommer att leda till stora fördelar i framtiden. De tror den kommer att leda till mer effektiva lektioner. Det finns dock en farhåga att vissa elever inte kommer att klara av att motstå frestelsen att använda sitt nya verktyg som en slags digital distraktion, och att de kommer att hamna efter som ett resultat av detta. Det finns också reservationer gällande vissa delar av implementationen. Informanterna hade gärna sett tidiga utbildningsinsatser för att lyfta alla lärare till en nivå där de hade kunnat utnyttja det nya systemet fullt ut. De önskar också att alla hårdvarukomponenter hade fungerat som de ska redan från början. Vissa viktiga delar har varit oanvändbara i nästan ett år. Dessa problem hade kunnat undvikas med bättre planering. Tidiga utbildningsinsatser, med tester av all nödvändig hårdvara, hade lett till en avsevärt bättre upplevelse för alla. / My study aspires to assess a recently implemented one-to-one computer initiative in a Swedish upper secondary school, with emphasis on perceived challenges and possibilities, as well as hopes for the future. The method chosen involves qualitative interviews with five teachers, randomly selected from each programme the school offers. The primary result of this study is that teachers seem satisfied with the initiative, and believe it will lead to great benefits in the future. They believe it will lead to more efficient lessons. There is a fear however, that some students will be unable to resist the temptation to use their new tool as a means of digital distraction, and that they will fall behind as a result. Also, there are reservations about parts of the implementation. The interviewees wish there had been early educational efforts to bring all teachers up to a level where they could use the system fully. They also wish all hardware components had worked as intended from the start. Some important parts have been unusable for almost a year. These problems could have been avoided with better planning. Early educational efforts, including testing of all necessary hardware, would have made for a substantially better experience for all.

This is a small-scale study that looks at how important upper secondary students andteachers in a mid-size Swedish community consider intercultural communicativecompetences to be and how frequently they work with developing these competences.Previous research on the work with intercultural communicative competence suggestteachers are largely unaware of theories in this area, but these studies were conducted atleast ten years ago. Current models for working with intercultural communicativecompetences are discussed and questionnaires for students and teachers were developedto investigate attitudes towards and experiences of working with interculturalcompetences. The results of the questionnaires indicate that there is still little awarenessof current models and that practical communicative exercises are rare. As this study issmall scale and can only provide possible indications of the extent to witch interculturalcommunicative competence is dealt with in the classroom, the paper concludes thatfurther and more extensive studies are needed.Keywords

Social media is a large part of Swedish adolescents’ lives. As such, social media is also prevalent in Swedish upper secondary schools. Some international research has shown positive outcomes from the use of social media as a learning tool in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom, such as higher student motivation. However, there are no recent equivalent studies in Sweden. Teachers’ attitudes have also been researched, also in a Swedish context. The aim of this study is twofold: to explore EFL teachers’ attitudes, as well as their practices, regarding social media as a learning tool. A web-questionnaire was constructed and subsequently answered by 20 random EFL teachers in Swedish upper secondary schools. The findings show that participants have positive attitudes toward using social media platforms in their teaching. It was also found that participants do indeed use social media, as well as many other tools, in their teaching, and use it for many different purposes. The findings suggest there needs to be more research into how social media platforms could, should, and are being used in Swedish EFL classrooms.