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This thesis investigates English-language education at The Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is an individual transit program for newly arrived migrant students at upper-secondary school level, designed to ensure a fast transition to further education or the job market (Swedish National Agency for Education, 2013). The methodology used in this thesis is based on linguistic ethnography (Copland & Creese, 2015b), with observations and interviews conducted at two schools – Slope Hill High School and Meadow Hill High School (fictional names) – over the course of one school year. Observations in classrooms, at meetings, and of the school environment were conducted. In addition, semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, principals, and other members of faculty were performed. 

The theoretical framework for this thesis is Foucault’s (2002) perspectives of power, with a particular focus on Foucault’s concepts of biopower and governmentality. In addition to Foucault, postcolonial perspectives of Bhabha (2004) and Said (2003) are used to analyze othering. This thesis also investigates language ideology (Kroskrity, 2000), language hierarchies (Josephson, 2018), and learner identity (Norton, 2013) in a multilingual context. Moreover, this thesis explores the connections between power structures linked to individualization and isolation (Studies 1 and 2), governmentality (Study 3) and othering (Study 4).

The results show that power structures limit the ability of teachers to collaborate, evaluate, and develop their teaching practices. Interwoven in all these structures are monolingual language ideologies and perceptions of LIP students as lacking prior knowledge and capabilities. Furthermore, the thesis shows that students’ first languages (L1s) are not used as a resource when learning English at the LIP, and that the importance of proficiency in English is rarely discussed with LIP students. Instead, the local language (Swedish) is prioritized by the organization. The results also show that, through governmentality, lack of proficiency in English is a gatekeeper to future transitions for LIP students. This thesis shows that all these factors in combination position English as a school subject at LIP of less priority for LIP students, disfavoring English both in regard to resources and support.

This paper is based on a partial study within a research project about English education at The Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is a transit program for newly arrived immigrants at upper secondary school level, designed to secure a fast transit to further education or the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2013). In Swedish society, English plays an important role in accessing higher education and the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2022) and English is often ascribed status of a second language in Sweden (Gheitasi et al., 2022). Also, a mutual language competence in Swedish and English is often considered a norm in the English language classroom. 

Foucauldian (2002) perspectives are used to analyse power structures and Othering (Bhabha, 2004; Said, 2016), exploring language ideology (Kroskrity, 2000), and access to equal education within the LIP education context. The chosen method is linguistic ethnography with observations and interviews at two schools for the duration of one school year. The results show that English is regarded a difficult subject by many LIP students and that the importance of English in Swedish society is seldom discussed with them, positioning English in the margins of the organisation. The extensive focus on the national language of Swedish at LIP contribute to making English invisible to the organisation and its students. Moreover, LIP and its students are often positioned as different from the rest of the school resulting in lack of educational support for students and teachers at LIP. 

Importantly, lack of proficiency of English can increase LIP students risks of marginalization due to English proficiency being an important feature in Swedish society. Inadequate proficiency in English could eventually lead to inequality in education, thus in a longer perspective of inequality in society.

References: 

Bhabha, H. K. (2004). The location of culture (1. ed. in Routledge Classics with a new preface by the author ed.). London: Routledge.

Foucault, M. (2002). The essential works of Foucault, 1954-1984. : Vol. 3, Power. (Edit. Faubion, J. D.) London: Penguin.

Gheitasi, P., Lindgren, E., & Enever, J. (2022). The dynamics of foreign language values in Sweden: a social history. CEPS journal, 12(1), 125-146. doi:10.26529/cepsj.758

Kroskrity, P. V. (2000). Regimes of language: ideologies, polities and identities. Oxford: James Currey.

Said, E.  (2016). Orientalism (Nyutg. förord: Edda Manga ed.). (Edit Sjöström, H. O)  Stockholm: Ordfront.

Swedish Nationall Agency of Education. (2013). Introduktionsprogrammet Språkintroduktion. 

Swedish National Agency of Education (2022). Curriculum for the compulsory school, preschool class and school-age educare. Swedish National Agency of Education 

This paper investigates power structures in English-language education within Sweden's Language Introduction Program (LIP). In Swedish society, a high proficiency in English plays an important role in accessing further education and the job market. Inadequate proficiency in English can lead to inequality in education, and thus to inequality in society in a long-term perspective. The methodology of this study is based on linguistic ethnography using interview data from seven semi-structured individual interviews with principals, mentors, a student counselor, and a special-needs educator involved in LIP at a Swedish school. Foucauldian perspectives of power and Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis are used to examine power structures and language ideologies within the organization. The results show how LIP’s organizational structures disadvantage the international language of English. Furthermore, power structures of governmentality within the organization steer students towards vocational programs rather than of theoretical program

This article explores students’ perspectives on English language learning in relation to the Language Introduction Programme in Sweden, which is an individual transitional programme for newly arrived immigrants and seeks to quickly transition adolescents into further education or the job market. High proficiency in English is vital in Swedish society, and insufficient knowledge of English can lead to negative long-term consequences for both individuals and society regarding inequality. The methodology used is based on linguistic ethnography, and the data for this article consists of eight semi-structured interviews with students in the programme at one school. Foucauldian perspectives are used to analyse power and the construction of language ideologies relating to the multilingual English-language classroom and learner identity. The results show that the importance of proficiency in English for a successful educational transition from the Language Introduction rarely communicated to students. Furthermore, English is positionedas a subject of low importance within the organisation. The results also show that monolingual norms and language hierarchies limit the students’ability to use their first language when learning English.

Članek raziskuje poglede učencev na učenje angleškega jezika v povezavi s programom seznanjanja z jeziki na Švedskem, ki je individualni prehodni program za na novo prispele priseljence; prizadeva si za hiter prehod mladostnikov v nadaljnje izobraževanje ali na trg dela. Visoko znanje angleščine je v švedski družbi ključnega pomena, nezadostno znanje angleščine pa lahko povzroči negativne dolgoročne posledice za posameznike in družbo, kar se tiče neenakosti. Uporabljena metodologija temelji na jezikovni etnografiji, podatki za ta članek pa so črpani iz osmih polstrukturiranih intervjujev z učenci, ki so vključeni v program na eni šoli. Za analizo moči in konstrukcije jezikovnih ideologij, povezanih z večjezičnim poukom angleščine v razredu in identiteto učenca, so uporabljeni foucaultovski vidiki. Izsledki kažejo, da se o pomenu znanja angleščine za uspešen prehod v izobraževanje iz programa seznanjanja z jeziki učence le redko obvešča. Poleg tega pomanjkanje informacij o pravici do izobraževalne podpore omejuje dostop študentov do enakih izobraževalnih možnosti, angleščino pa potisne v položaj predmeta z nižjo stopnjo pomembnosti znotraj organizacije. Izsledki kažejo tudi, da enojezične norme in jezikovne hierarhije omejujejo možnosti študentov za uporabo svojega prvega jezika pri učenju angleščine.

This paper explores the construction of language ideologies and language learning within English-language education in a Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is an individual transitional program for newly arrived migrant students that seeks to quickly transition adolescents into further education or the job market. High proficiency in English is important in Swedish society and insufficient knowledge of English might lead to consequences for individuals, but also long-term consequences for society regarding inequality and inequity. The methodology is based on linguistic ethnography, with observations and interviews at two schools. Data from interviews with English teachers and principals at LIP are analyzed using Foucauldian perspectives to discuss power and individualization. Our results show that LIP is organized in a manner that reduces teachers' possibilities to cooperate and assist each other in planning, assessing, and in developing teaching practices. To a certain extent, principals withdraw from their responsibility and place a significant amount of organizational responsibility on individual English teachers. Furthermore, monolingual ideologies are prominent in educational practices, and LIP is often positioned as different from the rest of the school which increases isolation.

Enligt Skollagen (SFS:2010:800, kapitel 1, §4,8, 9) har alla elever i svensk skola rätt till kvalitativ och likvärdig utbildning samt hjälp och stöttning att utvecklas så långt som det är individuellt möjligt. Var tredje elev i svensk skola har idag ett annat modersmål än svenska (Skolverket, 2020) vilket är en viktig aspekt för framtida lärare att ta i beaktande i sin undervisning. Skolans kompensatoriska uppdrag (Skollag, kapitel 1, §8) består i att se till att alla elever, oavsett bakgrund och ekonomiska förutsättningar, ges samma utvecklingsmöjligheter och förutsättningar att nå de kunskapsmål som skolan ställer. Här menar vi att lärare bör ta i beaktande att även språkkunskaper är en aspekt inom det kompensatoriska uppdraget.  Med detta menas inte enbart undervisning i svenska eller svenska som andraspråk utan även att elevens hela språkliga repertoar används som resurs i undervisningen så att eleven ges större möjlighet att förstå uppgifter och innehåll i undervisningen och därigenom utvecklas till sin fulla potential kunskapsmässigt. Blivande lärare bör få med sig kunskap från sin utbildning om olika språkförstärkande och språkutvecklande arbetssätt, en ökad förståelse för flerspråkighet, och hur man bedömer flerspråkiga elevers kunskaper. I vårt samtal riktar vi in oss på samband mellan flerspråkighet och litteraciteter. Syftet med det här rundabordssamtalet är att lyfta olika perspektiv kring flerspråkighet och litteraciteter inom lärarutbildningen. Diskussionen kommer att beröra frågor om vilka kunskaper som lärarutbildare i olika skolämnen behöver kring flerspråkiga elevers litteraciteter (Busch, 2012; Canagarajah, 213). Därtill diskuteras vilka kunskaper framtida lärare behöver kring flerspråkiga elevers litteraciteter för att möta elevers varierade behov samt främja lärande i ett flerspråkigt klassrum. Vi kommer även att diskutera flerspråkiga studenters litteraciteter, olika sätt som lärare kan stötta elevers utveckling och lärande genom flerspråkiga strategier samt samband mellan språk, makt och identitetsskapande.  

Busch, Brigitta. (2012). The Linguistic Repertoire Revisited. Applied Linguistics, 33, 503–523. 

Canagarajah, Suresh. (2013). Introduction. I: S. Canagarajah (red.) Literacy as Translingual Practice: Between Communities and Classrooms. Routledge, s. 1-10.

Skolverket. (2020). Transspråkande i ett flerspråkigt och interkulturellt klassrum.

Skolverket Lärportalen. Skollag (2010). SFS:2010:800.  Sveriges Riksdag. 

This paper is based on a partial study within a research project about English education at The Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is a transit program for newly arrived immigrants at upper secondary school level, designed to secure a fast transit to further education or the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2013). In Swedish society, English plays an important role in accessing higher education and the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2022) and English is often ascribed status of a second language in Sweden (Gheitasi et al., 2022). Also, a mutual language competence in Swedish and English is often considered a norm in the English language classroom. However, the heterogeneity of LIP students’ prior knowledge of English unable this kind of assumption, and teachers at LIP must prepare for a classroom context where a joint knowledge of Swedish and English is not a reality. 

Foucauldian (2002) perspectives are used to analyse power structures and Othering (Bhabha, 2004; Said, 2016), exploring language ideology (Kroskrity, 2000), and access to equal education within a multilingual context. The chosen method is linguistic ethnography (Copland & Creese, 2015) with observations and interviews at two schools: Slope Hill High School and Meadow Hill High School (fictive names) for the duration of one school year. Observations in classrooms, at meetings, and of school environment were conducted. In addition, semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, principals, and other members of faculty were performed. 

The results show that English is regarded a difficult subject by many LIP students and that the importance of English in Swedish society is seldom discussed with them, positioning English in the margins of the organisation. LIP and its students are often described as different from the rest of the school and placed in the periphery of school organization. Moreover, the result show how LIP students often verbalize aspirations for a future academic career, but because of difficulty attaining a passing grade in English, they are often steered towards vocational programs instead. In this process, English becomes a gatekeeper and a factor of exclusion. Also, struggles of power linked to Foucault’s (2002) term governmentality can be observed in this process, where discourse related to migration, language proficiency, and education, surface. Furthermore, English teachers at LIP are given limited ability to co-operate and assist each other with assessment, planning, and evaluation of education resulting in lack of educational support for students and teachers.

Keywords: English education, governmentality, newly arrived students, power, othering

References:

Bhabha, H. K. (2004). The location of culture (1. ed. in Routledge Classics with a new preface by the author ed.). London: Routledge.

Copland, F., & Creese, A. (2015). Linguistic Ethnography: Collecting, Analysing and Presenting Data. London: SAGE Publications

Foucault, M. (2002). The essential works of Foucault, 1954-1984. : Vol. 3, Power. (Edit. Faubion, J. D.) London: Penguin.

Gheitasi, P., Lindgren, E., & Enever, J. (2022). The dynamics of foreign language values in Sweden: a social history. CEPS journal, 12(1), 125-146. doi:10.26529/cepsj.758

Kroskrity, P. V. (2000). Regimes of language: ideologies, polities and identities. Oxford: James Currey.

Said, E.  (2016). Orientalism (Nyutg. förord: Edda Manga ed.). (Edit Sjöström, H. O)  Stockholm: Ordfront.

Swedish Nationall Agency of Education. (2013). Introduktionsprogrammet Språkintroduktion. Skolverket

Swedish National Agency of Education (2022). Reviderad kursplan Engelska grundskolan. Skolverket

Background: This paper is based on a partial study within a research project about English education at The Language Introduction Program (LIP) in Sweden. LIP is a transit program for newly arrived immigrants at upper secondary school level, designed to secure a fast transit to further education or the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2013). In Swedish society, English plays an important role in accessing higher education and the job market (Swedish National Agency of Education, 2022) and English is often ascribed status of a second language in Sweden (Gheitasi et al., 2022). Also, a mutual language competence in Swedish and English is often considered a norm in the English language classroom. However, the heterogeneity of LIP students’ prior knowledge of English unable this kind of assumption, and teachers at LIP must prepare for a classroom context where a joint knowledge of Swedish and English is not a reality. The professional assignment of English teachers at LIP differs from the rest of the teachers involved in the program since the English teachers are not involved in teaching Swedish (Cunningham, 2023). As a result, relevant in-service training for LIP English teachers’ is often neglected, something that might affect student progression long-term.

Theoretical framework and methodology: Foucauldian (2002) perspectives are used to analyse power structures and Othering (Bhabha, 2004; Said, 2016), exploring language ideology (Kroskrity, 2000), and access to equal education within a multilingual context. The chosen method is linguistic ethnography with observations and interviews at two schools: Slope Hill High School and Meadow Hill High School (fictive names) for the duration of one school year. Observations in classrooms, at meetings, and of school environment were conducted. In addition, semi-structured interviews with students, teachers, principals, and other members of faculty were performed.  

Results: The results show that English is regarded a difficult subject by many LIP students and that the importance of English in Swedish society is seldom discussed with them, positioning English in the margins of the organisation. The extensive focus is on the national language of Swedish at LIP contribute to making English invisible to the organisation and its students. Furthermore, English teachers at LIP are given limited ability to co-operate and assist each other with assessment, planning, and evaluation of education. Moreover, LIP and its students were often positioned as different from the rest of the school resulting in lack of educational support for students and teachers. In this process, English became a gatekeeper and a factor of exclusion. 

Relevance to ASLA 2024: In a digital school context, lack of proficiency of English might leave students even further marginalized due to English proficiency being an important feature on for example the Internet. Inadequate proficiency in English could eventually lead to inequality in education, thus in a longer perspective of inequality in society.

References: 

Bhabha, H. K. (2004). The location of culture (1. ed. in Routledge Classics with a new preface by the author ed.). London: Routledge.

Cunningham, U. (2023). Språk och lärande i engelska. In Å. Wedin (Ed.), Språk, lärande och undervisning: om nyanlända ungdomar på Språkintroduktion (pp. 175-194). Lund: Studentlitteratur.

Foucault, M. (2002). The essential works of Foucault, 1954-1984. : Vol. 3, Power. (Edit. Faubion, J. D.) London: Penguin.

Gheitasi, P., Lindgren, E., & Enever, J. (2022). The dynamics of foreign language values in Sweden: a social history. CEPS journal, 12(1), 125-146. doi:10.26529/cepsj.758

Kroskrity, P. V. (2000). Regimes of language: ideologies, polities and identities. Oxford: James Currey.

Said, E.  (2016). Orientalism (Nyutg. förord: Edda Manga ed.). (Edit Sjöström, H. O)  Stockholm: Ordfront.

Swedish Nationall Agency of Education. (2013). Introduktionsprogrammet Språkintroduktion. Skolverket

Swedish National Agency of Education (2022). Reviderad kursplan Engelska grundskolan. Skolverket

Syftet med detta kapitel är att bidra till en dialog gällande forskningsetik utifrån såväl juridiska som humanistiska aspekter. Exempel hämtas från dilemman som uppstått i etnografiskt inriktade studier där deltagarna är andraspråksanvändare av svenska och där många har begränsad erfarenhet av formell utbildning och användning av skrift. Det kan vara svårt att ge forskningsinformation på ett sätt som elever med olika bakgrund förstår, särskilt vad gäller konsekvenserna av informationen, av att delta i forskningen och vad det betyder att vara anonym. En utgångspunkt för kapitlet tas i begrepp som rör etisk omtanke samt i begrepp som rör samtycke och som utvecklats inom forskning om och med barn: inlärtsamtycke och samtycke som pågående process. Samtliga begrepp behandlar på ett eller annat sätt den makt forskaren har i relation till deltagarna. Vidare diskuteras hur deltagares eventuella utsatthet eller sårbarhet behöver ses i relation till denaktuella kontexten snarare än utifrån på förhand definierade kategorier. Avslutningsvis belyses forskares ansvar för att hela tiden göra etiska överväganden i sin profession och att dessa innebär en ständig och systematisk reflektion och en mängd val. Vi ser ett samhällsintresse i att etnografisk forskninggenomförs i andraspråkssammanhang där deltagarna i olika avseenden kan betraktas som i en utsatt position. Detta ställer krav på utveckling av nu använda former för samtyckesförfarande.