Title:

"Supporting teachers in Swedish compulsory schools to support linguistically minoritized second language learners with migrant backgrounds"

Guests

Josefin Nilsson and Karin Petterson, The National Centre for Swedish as a Second Language, Stockholm University.

Zoom link

stockholmuniversity.zoom.us/j/4087375260

This presentation draws on research and also experiences made by The National Centre for Swedish as a Second Language from in-service training projects in Swedish compulsory school to support didactic development focusing on second language learners with migrant backgrounds. In the presentation, we make visible how in-service training projects need to support teachers’ didactic agency, i.e. their didactic competence in relation to their didactic environment (Nilsson, 2023).

We claim that efforts to strengthen the teaching quality for newly arrived students and other linguistically minoritized second language learners with migrant backgrounds need to consider that teachers’ didactic competence develops in the material and discursive reality where they and their students are situated. Consequently, didactic questions need to be directly related to organizational conditions and resources, both in school improvement initiatives and in research. Professional development initiatives focusing on second language perspectives in learning will thus have to be combined with systematic work aimed at creating better practical conditions and agentic space for teachers, regarding these students. 

Readings

“We’ll see if they sort of float.”: Developing language and content integrated teaching approaches for newly arrived students – opportunities and limitations from a teacher’s perspective. Nilsson, Josefin (2023).

About The National Centre for Swedish as a Second Language

The National Centre for Swedish as a Second Language (NC) is a resource and development centre commissioned by the Swedish Government. NC is a link between researchers, educators and society, working for improved conditions for language and knowledge development of second language learners with migrant backgrounds throughout the educational system, from preschool to adult education. This work includes the distribution of research and proven experience concerning the special learning processes involved in second language learning and instruction, accomplished by means of personal contacts, web site, social media, networks, publications, conferences, and in-service training for teachers.