Performative functions of multilingual policy in second language education in Sweden

Abstract

This paper targets the aim of 'strengthening the students' multilingualism' in a second language 1 subject in Sweden, Swedish as a second language (SSL), which represents a relatively rare L2 design internationally. The study investigates how ideological space for multilingualism with regard to this aim opens implementational space at the classroom level [Hornberger. 2002. "Multilingual Language Policies and the Continua of Biliteracy: An Ecological Approach." Language Policy 1 (1): 27-51]. We draw on ethnographic fieldwork in three linguistically diverse upper secondary schools in Sweden, where SSL is a parallel subject to Swedish, free of choice, and is taught by qualified teachers. Ideological and implementational space was found to be primarily for empowering students and valorizing their multilingualism and less for learning functions and pedagogical multilingual practices. Some students emphasized multilingual aspects as being empowering and as a reason for choosing SSL, indexing the performative function [Fairclough. 2014. "Semiotic Aspects of Social Transformation and Learning." In The Discourse Studies Reader. Main Currents in Theory and Analysis, edited by Johannes Angermuller, Dominique Maingueneau, and Ruth Wodak, 378-387. Amsterdam: John Benjamins] of macro-level policy in combination with teacher agency. We argue that in spite of the brevity of the formulated multilingual macro policy and its restricted 'potential space' [

Teachers’ acts of legitimation in second language education in Swedish upper secondary schools

“…This complexity surfaces in particular when analyzing language education policy discourses, as such discourses may cross, overlap, and coexist at all possible levels (cf. Fairclough and Fairclough 2012;Hedman and Magnusson 2019).…”

“…In upper secondary school, both subjects include literature, although historical perspectives on literature and language as well as literary analysis are more prevalent in SWE. SSL also includes an orientation towards the students' multilingualism, including contrastive analyses between their "mother tongue" and other languages (Hedman and Magnusson 2019). In line with the management by the objectives of Swedish schools, syllabi are general and provide neither guidelines regarding methods of instruction nor detailed teaching content (Nusche et al 2011).…”

“…On the other, counter-images appeared, and the pedagogical scaffolding of advanced content as well as the multilingual dimensions of the curriculum stood out as main reasons for choosing and staying in SSL (see also similar findings in Bjuhr 2019, an interview study with upper secondary school students in SSL). Further, differences between schools were found in the extent to which they opened implementational space (Hornberger 2002) for multilingualism (Hedman and Magnusson 2019).…”

The multivoiced English-for-young-learners subject in Sweden: Spaces for plurilingualism?

“…Likewise, although what can be considered "educationally normal or feasible" (Johnson, 2011, p. 128) can be framed or limited by policies, agency is in the hands of school providers and teachers to create implementational spaces, which "serve as wedges to pry open ideological ones" (Hornberger, 2005, p. 606). The possibility of implementing plurilingual educational practices may, however, be linked to the extent of teacher knowledge about multilingualism (Hedman & Magnusson, 2019;Lundberg, 2019), and thus it is important for teacher education and in-service training to address issues related to multilingualism, multilingual awareness-raising, and teaching for transfer (Cummins, 2008) across language subjects.…”

“…Also, plurilingualism can be made an explicit goal of the language subject in its syllabus, such as in Denmark and Norway where affordances for teachers and pupils in language subjects to draw upon and contribute to plurilingual competence are made explicit in the English syllabus (see Ministry of Children and Education, 2019; Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training, 2019). In the Swedish context, pluri/multilingualism (flerspråkighet) is explicitly mentioned in the MT syllabi (Paulsrud et al, 2020) and upper secondary English and SSL syllabi (see Hedman & Magnusson, 2019;Hult, 2017). I, however, would contend that ideologies of language manifest in syllabi may transcend language subject divides and create such affordances implicitly.…”