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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