Sharing Good Practice
Since we received superior results on not one, but two inspections from the Swedish School Inspectorate (Skolinspektionen), several other schools have reached out to us to tour our school, observe our classes, and talk to our teachers for inspiration and support with their own routines.
The first inspection was actually a thematic inquiry into bilingualism in schools that provide education in languages other than Swedish. Our school provides education in both Swedish and English, and it is a cornerstone of our work that we teach bilingually. The results of the thematic inquiry showed that the majority of schools inspected did not adequately educate students bilingually. Our school was one of only three that was found to do this effectively, and we were given no notes to follow up on.
However, there is always room for improvement and growth! The inquiry looked at bilingual education in classes that are taught primarily in English. However, language learning happens in all classes, including those taught in the majority language (in our case, Swedish). With the number of newly arrived (immigrant) students increasing, and the number of students speaking a different language at home (even if they were born and raised in Sweden), it is becoming increasingly vital to think and teach multilingually.
Last week, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of educators and leaders from five other schools into our community. I prepared a day of information, observations and collegial sharing. They had the opportunity to meet with some of our Head of Departments, and see the way we work in action. We were also able to share how the professional development we have developed for the school is connected to what teachers do, day in and day out, to improve student language and comprehension. Additionally, participants had the chance to discuss and share challenges and solutions related to working with students who do not yet speak Swedish or English.
Welcoming educators to our school is always a great pleasure. Not only did they tell us that they felt welcome and that they left with a lot to work with at their own schools, but their questions also gave us new ways of thinking about the way we do things and I'm excited to adjust our methods and plans with their ideas in mind!
Links to more information:
Our school's results on the thematic inquiry into the quality of English-language teaching
Skolinspektionens overall report on the quality of English-language teaching
Click the image below to see the presentation shared with participants
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