Project information
Doctoral student
Anna Lundström
Supervisor
Robert Walldén
Assistant supervisors
Marie Källkvist
Participating organisations
Linnaeus University
Financier
The Knowledge Foundation (KK-stiftelsen)
Timetable
1 September 2025–30 August 2030
Subject
Swedish as a second language (Department of Swedish Language, Faculty of Arts and Humanities
More about the project
This study explores a method for teaching adult migrants in which formal SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) instruction is integrated with teaching activities related to the students' professional fields. Previous research highlights the difficulties of adapting vocational Swedish language training to the varying linguistic needs of adult migrants. The courses often lean toward formal written language, even though it is equally important to use informal language in the workplace. In order to improve their work situation, adult migrants need not only a broad linguistic repertoire, but also a critical approach to texts. However, critical text work in workplace-related language courses has not yet been studied extensively.
The study will examine the following questions:
- How are students taught to read and write professional texts in workplace-related language courses?
- To what extent are educational adjustments made in the workplace to enable critical text discussions?
- To what degree are participants' prior knowledge and experience used as teaching resources?
- What are the opportunities and limitations for language development in the workplace?
Data collection will be conducted through observations, analysis of student texts, ethnographic shadowing, and interviews. The research results will form the basis for enhanced collaboration between universities, SFI, and the workplace.
The project is part of the research in the Educational Linguistics research group and in the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Education in change and in the Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Migration encounters
