Lärarnas perspektiv på läsning i de frivilliga skolformerna

: En studie på gymnasiet och i vuxenutbildningen

Abstract

The reading comprehension of students in Sweden needs to be improved. Teachers are the key persons in the teaching of reading in schools and the aim of this study is to investigate how subject teachers in upper-secondary school and adult education describe the reading and reading comprehension included in their teaching. The purpose is also to describe, from the teachers’ perspective, what challenges the subject teachers face and how a special teacher, specialised in language and literacy development, could be of help in their teaching practice. A quantitative questionnaire survey, also containing qualitative elements as open-ended questions were included, has been undertaken in the form of an anonymous online survey. The survey was distributed via email to a number of subject teachers working in upper-secondary school and adult education in three different locations in southern Sweden. The respondents represent various subjects, a range of upper-secondary programs and also adult education. The online survey was preceded by a small pilot study. The responses to the questionnaire survey were analysed and interpreted in the light of some theoretical concepts and points of departure, namely the socio-cultural, the pragmatic and the special-educational perspectives, and the following results were achieved. The respondents describe the reading that takes place in lessons as being mainly silent reading of printed text and 95 % of the respondents say that less than 50 % of the lesson time is dedicated to reading. The majority of the respondents consider themselves to have a fairly good knowledge of reading strategies, but also report that they use other methods to further the development of students’ language and reading skills. According to the respondents, they often conduct text discussions with their students as well, even if it is not the most frequent method when working with students with reading difficulties. In conversations with their colleagues, the respondents most often talk about student performance and assessment, instead of reading methods, but a majority of the subject teachers want to learn more about reading strategies and would, in various ways, like to motivate their students to read and to identify themselves as readers. Frame factors, such as time, resources and organisational issues, as well as students’ lack of reading skills and reading experience, are described as challenges that subject teachers face in their reading instruction. Most subject teachers welcome support from special teachers, specialised in language and literacy development, for all students and teachers at school, group and individual levels.

Date of Award	2022-Jun
Original language	Swedish
Supervisor	Helena Sjunnesson (Supervisor), Ann-Elise Persson (Assessor) & Daniel Östlund (Examiner)