The Conundrum of Collaboration. A qualitative study on Swedish EFL teachers' view on cross-curricular collaboration

Abstract

In today’s Swedish upper secondary school it is probable that EFL teachers encounter cross-curricular collaboration projects. That is, projects where another subject/other subjects in addition to English are supposed to be incorporated. Research, as well as the Swedish curriculum, show that the interest in this field has been elevated in recent years. This study sets out to shed some light on how Swedish EFL teachers reason about cross-curricular collaboration. In order to do so, the theory behind the study is phenomenography. What benefits, drawbacks and preconditions do EFL teachers think that cross-curricular collaboration entails? Six EFL teachers have been interviewed, using a semi-structured interview guide. In accordance with phenomenography the results are divided into categories found during the analysis. The categories found were: time, structure, creating context, and collegial collaboration. The results are discussed in relation to the research questions and previous research. The results show that the study is aligned with previous research which also shows that there are drawbacks to consider, benefits to reap but plenty of preconditions to bear in mind when engaging in a cross-curricular collaboration project as an EFL teacher in Sweden. Moreover, results show that teachers with more experience of cross-curricular collaboration find it more beneficial. Finally, suggestions for further research are put forth.