Superdiversity has reached the EFL classroom and consequently language acquisition’s starting point has changed from one to various native languages. EFL teachers in Sweden meet a broad spectrum of students, varying from nearly bilingual when it comes to English, to students, who have to learn both English and Swedish from scratch. Meanwhile, the Swedish school system aspires to provide all students with an equal education. In addition to the increasingly diverse student body, EFL teachers also face the dilemma of steering documents that can be perceived as favouring the traditional monolingual principle of language teaching, while at the same time EFL teachers are asked to support students’ development into plurilingualists that embrace linguistic and cultural diversity. This thesis seeks to investigate EFL teachers’ reasoning concerning linguistic diversity and inclusion methods in the EFL classroom, as a part of school practice. Furthermore, this thesis aims to give a picture of the current situation in Swedish schools and seeks to find indications of whether further training is required in order to embrace the diversity of the globalized classroom. Mixed methods are used to examine the current situation and the results are based on the answers of 35 EFL teachers in Sweden. The findings indicate that most EFL teachers rarely include students’ L1 in the EFL classroom and that the inclusion of students’ L1 is for many participants related with weaker proficiency in English. Additionally, the necessity of enhancing the benefits of translanguaging pedagogy for all students, and consequently further education for EFL teachers can be identified, because the very important aspect of identity that matters when it comes to school success has hardly been considered.

This qualitative study, grounded in a phenomenological perspective, delves into the lived experiences of early childhood teachers who teach multilingual children in mainstream classrooms in Tennessee. Amidst the rising number of multilingual learners in mainstream educational settings and the dearth of adequate teacher training to address their needs, this research illuminates the experiences of these teachers. Furthermore, it seeks to advocate for the integration of translanguaging pedagogy into teacher training programs and state policies. This study employed a qualitative study using the three-in-depth-interview series from a phenomenological perspective (Seidman, 2019). The first interview focused on participants’ overall teaching experiences and classroom dynamics, while the second delved into their specific experiences with multilingual children. The final interview facilitated reflections on the preceding interviews and the participants’ reflections on the research process. Additionally, participants engaged in reflexivity by reviewing interview transcripts and adding comments. The study encompassed three kindergarten and three first-grade teachers in public schools in Tennessee. Data collection included in-depth interviews, screener and demographic questionnaires, and transcript comments. Key findings highlighted the high number of multilingual learners in mainstream classrooms, constraints stemming from scripted curricula, teachers’ assimilationist perspective on culture and monoglossic view on language; however, they demonstrated some positive views toward multilingual learners. Regarding the research process, both participants and the researcher expressed positive views. Ultimately, this study advocates for state policies to embrace a translanguaging approach to foster equitable environments for multilingual children so that they can use and develop their full linguistic repertoire. It also recommends the incorporation of translanguaging pedagogy and critical reflection in teacher training programs. Finally, it highlights the potential of research as a means for reflection, learning, and professional growth.