Då kommunikationsförmågorna fått ett större utrymme i kursplanen i matematik i den svenska grundskolan, samtidigt som andelen andraspråkselever ökat, ansåg vi det viktigt och intressant att undersöka hur speciallärare och lärare undervisar för att stärka kommunikationsförmågorna för dessa elever. Syftet med studien var därför att få kunskap om och förståelse för vilka undervisningsstrategier som några speciallärare, specialpedagoger och lärare använder för att främja andraspråkselevers kommunikationsförmågor i matematik. I studien användes en kvalitativ metodansats med intervjuer som datainsamlingsmetod. Informanterna bestod av sex speciallärare, två specialpedagoger och fyra lärare från tre olika kommuner. I studiens bakgrund behandlades kommunikationsförmågorna som verktyg för lärande, det specifika matematikspråket, andraspråk och matematik samt hinder och framgångsfaktorer för utvecklandet av kommunikationsförmågorna. Resultatet beskriver goda relationer samt kunskap om andraspråkselevernas varierande bakgrund som framgångsfaktorer, vilket i studien presenteras genom det sociokulturella perspektivet. Dessutom lyfts i resultatet ett språk- och kunskapsutvecklande arbetssätt i elevnära kontexter och med strukturerade kommunikativa övningar som en framgångsrik undervisningsstrategi. Resultatet visar också att en god samverkan mellan olika lärarprofessioner inklusive studiehandledare gynnar andraspråkselevers matematikutveckling. Ur ett specialpedagogiskt perspektiv ses speciallärarens specifika kompetens som viktig för att säkerställa att hänsyn tas till alla andraspråkselevers olika förutsättningar, dock behöver kompetensen utökas till att även innefatta kunskaper om inlärning av och på ett andraspråk i matematik.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how teachers work with Autism pupils in two different schoolforms: a traditional elementary school and a language school. The study was based on three questions: 1. How do teachers in elementary school prepare, plan and implement reading and writing instruction to Autism pupils? 2. How do teachers in the language unit prepare, plan and implement their reading and writing instruction to Autism pupils? 3. How do teachers arrange for the Autism pupils to be included in the teaching? I have observed the physical classroom enviroment, the language learning opportunities and the interaction in the classroom looks. I have also done interviews with teachers in both schoolforms. To answer the research questions, six qualitative interwiews with various educators, were made. The results show that the language school, where focus is specifically on language development has a significantly greater awareness of how to ineract. What differentates the various types of schools is especially how the interaction is formed. The teachers in elementary school have more focus on the subject and what is to be learned. The teachers in the language school have a communicative focus. All six educators believe that inclusion of children with Autism is a good thing for everyone, as long as it is done properly and in the right order, so that the child with Autism gets the opportunity to be part of a social group. To achieve this, the work must be structured and clarified.

The digital world that has been created in today’s society opens doors to possibilities that we could not have dreamed of twenty years ago. One of these possibilities is that children can learn new languages by interacting and communicating with people all around the world. Learning English as a second language is obligatory in Swedish schools. It is a part of the curriculum and as normalized as learning maths or science. However, that does not mean it is an easy task. Many students struggle with second language acquisition and need a helping hand to motivate or facilitate easier understanding of a second language. This essay presents a major influence on many second language learners in Sweden today: World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft is a major online game that is played by thousands of children around the world every day, including Sweden. It is a game that involves reading and understanding English, speaking and texting in English and being able to follow spoken and written instructions in English. All these traits are willingly practiced by motivated children all around Sweden today because of one common interest: the interest in the game itself. This essay is a research overview and it aims to bring light to the importance of communication between young learners in the gaming community, how the game contributes to facilitating a place and community where gamers can communicate and practice their gaming skills and second language acquisition. To complete this essay an extensive amount of research about second language acquisition and online games has been gathered and to answer three main questions. The results of this essay show that there is significant research to support the claims that second language acquisition is greatly advanced by participating in massive multiplayer online games and that the communication between players that is a part of these games is a great source of acquiring a second language.