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  • 1.
    Aaby, Jacqueline
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    ¿La motivación es importante, o no…?: Una investigación sobre la motivación en los pasos 1 y 3 de ELE del instituto sueco 2016Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
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  • 2.
    Abrahamsson, Helene
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Comment se porte le français au lycée suédois ?: Évolution du rôle des plans d’études dans l’enseignement des langues vivantes 2018Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [fr]

    Depuis au moins 17 ans la matière scolaire la langue française baisse en popularité au lycée suédois. Pendant la même période, des sondages internationaux comme l’enquête PISA ont montré que l’école suédoise n’accomplit pas de bons résultats. C’est la politique scolaire qui par ses directives forme le développement de l’enseignement, et, par conséquent, les connaissances chez les étudiants. Les directives très importantes pour les professeurs sont les plans d’études (en suédois ämnesplaner), et ceux-ci devraient être des soutiens pour les professeurs dans leur enseignement.

    Ceci dit, comment se porte le français, une des langues vivantes?

    Dans cette étude, nous cherchons à trouver comment le plan d’études pour les langues vivantes a influencé l’enseignement du français au lycée. La méthode utilisée est qualitative et phénoménologique. Nous avons étudié un nombre de documents sur le sujet pour obtenir une image factuelle.  Pour compléter l’étude nous avons également interviewé trois professeurs avec une grande expérience de l’enseignement. L’objectif était d’obtenir leurs points de vue sur l’importance qu’ils donnent aux plans directifs.

    Les résultats ont montré que le plan d’études actuel donne aux  professeurs une grande liberté sur comment former leurs enseignements. Comme conséquence, cette possibilité est favorable aux enseignants expérimentés mais elle donne moins de soutiens aux enseignants novices.  Nous pouvons aussi constater que ce manque de cursus consultatif peut apporter un enseignement moins efficace, surtout quand le système scolaire suédois manque de professeurs diplômés. En outre, après avoir étudié  des rapports sur la situation des langues vivantes, nous avons remarqué qu’il semble y avoir un manque de volonté politique de fortifier ces langues.     

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  • 3.
    Abrahamsson, Marcus
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    EFL teachers’ experiences with transitioning to online instruction: A study during the COVID-19 pandemic2021Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    Teachers need to continuously develop their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) proficiency to keep up with the rapid development of technology, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made this more apparent. This study aims to understand how EFL-teachers exercise their teacher agency and adapt their teaching in an environment where ICT is the basis for their teaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six upper secondary school teachers and then analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed a significant decrease in professional development as a result of reduced contact between colleagues. Most teachers have focused on developing their toolspecific skills. Adaption of teaching strategies has seen the most success in the teaching of writing proficiency. Most teachers are familiar with integrating technology with writing. Most teachers have found strategies to increase the accessibility of information as well as increased clarity of tasks. However, teachers have found it difficult to motivate students who have a hard time working on their own. They have also found it difficult to follow students’ progress in more extensive tasks.

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  • 4.
    Adolfsson, Helen
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    The British hedgerow in Sweden: Dealing with spatial differences and reader differences related to the author-reader relationship and culture-specific referents aided by a translation-oriented text analysis model2014Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
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    The British hedgerow in Sweden: Dealing with spatial differences and reader differences related to the author-reader relationship and culture-specific referents aided by a translation-oriented text analysis model
  • 5.
    Adolfsson, Mikaela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Digitale Hilfsmittel im Fremdsprachenunterricht: Glosor.eu kontra traditionelle Vokabellisten beim Erlernen neuer Wörter2022Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    In this study, pupils’ use of digital tools for learning vocabulary is compared to the use of a traditional way of learning vocabulary from a list in a book. The goal of the study is to find out if digital tools are more efficient than using vocabulary lists, when learning new words. Furthermore, this study investigates how the use of words in a context affects learning. The 40 pupils who took part in this study are learning German in the ninth grade in two different schools in the southern part of Sweden. Three vocabulary tests were conducted within four weeks. During the experiment the pupils were divided into two groups, where one used digital learning tools and the other ordinary vocabulary lists. The results in the first test did not differ much between the groups. The second test on the other hand shows a difference where many in the digital group got better results whereas several in the traditional group got lower results. In the third test both groups showed better results in the vocabulary test. The conclusion of this study is that there is no big difference between the use of digital learning tools and a traditional vocabulary list when it comes to learning new words. However, the use of words in sentences was seen to have an effect on the words that pupils remembered best. In this study, the pupils were also asked to fill in a questionnaire. This study also shows that a combination of traditional and digital learning is preferred by the pupils.

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  • 6.
    Adolfsson, Mikaela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Language choices in the EFL classroom: A mixed-methods study at Swedish lower-secondry schools2022Independent thesis Advanced level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    Globalization has led to English being the leading language of communication providing opportunities for pupils to develop their English proficiency in different contexts. In this study, teachers’ language choices in the EFL classroom are being observed and the reasons behind them are being discussed during the following interviews. The study aims to increase our understanding of what role the English language as the primary teaching language should have in the EFL classroom at Swedish lower secondary schools to benefit pupils’ language learning in the best way possible. Four teachers, that are teaching at two different lower-secondary schools in southern Sweden participated in the study. In total four classroom observations were conducted followed by four semi-structured teacher interviews. The results found during observations and interviews were then connected to the theories of Language Mode, Translanguaging and Codeswitching. The results of the observations showed a slight difference in the use of English and Swedish during teaching. This study concludes that there is a slight variation in what role the English language has in the four observed classrooms. However, the contexts in which it was used were all coherent. Furthermore, the use of Swedish also showed a slight variation but was explained to be used as a tool for explaining, clarifying and ensuring understanding. Finally, the use of translanguaging practices was believed to have a positive effect on pupils’ learning outcomes although a slight difference was shown here as well. 

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  • 7.
    Agnell, Emma
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Terminology and function hybridity: A functionalist approach to the translation of an art history book2016Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This essay discusses two aspects of the retention of pragmatic text functions in translation. The functionalist approach that was used focuses on achieving congruence between the author’s intended function and the perception of the reader, i.e., the target text’s actual function. The first aim was to examine whether a focus on text functions can be beneficial when translating terminology. The second aim was to investigate if a functionalist approach can be used to assure that all functions are retained for instances where the source text encompasses more than one pragmatic function. For the purposes of this study, two excerpts from Fritz Eichenberg’s art history book The Art of the Print were translated. Individual terms as well as instances where the source text segment contained one than more pragmatic function were then analyzed with the above mentioned aims in mind. It was found that a functionalist approach, in combination with a conceptual approach to terminology, was beneficial when translating terminology. It was also observed that the surrounding co-text aided in the understanding of the author’s concept. In regard to the second aim, it was found that while a functionalist approach assured that the translator was made aware of the existing functions, the translation procedures suggested were too narrow and static to be applicable to all segments.

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  • 8.
    Airey, John
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Disciplinary literacy2013In: Scientific literacy: Teori och praktik / [ed] Eva Lundqvist, Roger Säljö, Leif Östman, Malmö, Sweden: Gleerups Utbildning AB, 2013, p. 41-58Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [sv]

    I detta kapitel läggs fram ett nytt begrepp, disciplinary literacy, som ett alternativ till scientific literacy. För varje ämne, disciplinary literacy inriktar sig mot kommunikativa praktiker inom tre miljöer: akademin, arbetsplatsen och samhället och definieras som förmågan att delta i dessa ämnesrelaterade kommunikativa praktiker på ett lämpligt sätt. Frågeställningen för kapitlet är om det kan vara givande att betrakta främjandet av studenters disciplinary literacy som ett av de huvudsakliga målen med universitetsstudier. Tillämpningen av begreppet illustreras genom material hämtat från ett forskningsprojekt där högskolelärare i fysik från Sverige och Sydafrika diskuterar de lärandemål de har för sina studenter.

  • 9.
    Airey, John
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University, Sweden.
    EAP, EMI or CLIL?2016In: The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes, Routledge, 2016, p. 71-83Chapter in book (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Introduction

    In this chapter I discuss the European-inspired notion of content and language integrated learning (CLIL). What makes CLIL different from English-medium instruction (EMI) on the one hand and English for academic purposes (EAP) on the other? A cursory examination of the acronym itself raises a number of questions. The Ls in CLIL-language and learning-are straightforward enough, but what about the I and the C? The I in CLIL stands for integrated: this signals CLIL’s dual emphasis on disciplinary learning outcomes along with language learning. Which brings us to the C in CLIL-content. More than anything else, it is this focus on the teaching of disciplinary content that makes CLIL unique. Can EAP professionals teach content? Can disciplinary experts teach language? Or does the CLIL approach necessarily imply collaboration between language and content teachers? These are some of the questions I address in this chapter.

  • 10.
    Airey, John
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University, Sweden.
    From stimulated recall to disciplinary literacy: Summarizing ten years of research into teaching and learning in English2015In: English-Medium Instruction in European Higher Education: English in Europe. Volume 3 / [ed] Dimova, S. Hultgren, A-K. Jensen, C., Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2015, p. 157-176Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This chapter summarizes my research work in Swedish higher education in the area of teaching and learning in English. Sweden makes for a particularly interesting case study since there are high levels of English competence in the general population and a large percentage of university courses have traditionally been taught through the medium of English.

    The work I have done falls into three broad categories:  University learning in English, University teaching in English and Disciplinary differences in attitudes to English language use.

    Over the years I have used a range of data collection techniques including video recordings of lectures, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and stimulated recall. The research work is almost exclusively qualitative in nature adopting a case study approach.

  • 11.
    Airey, John
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Lecturing in English: Comparing fluency and content in L1 and L22013In: ICLHE 2013: Integrating Content and Language in Higher Education. University of Maastricht, Netherlands, 11-13 April, 2013Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In recent years there has been a noticeable trend in many countries towards teaching university courses in English. However, from a research perspective, difficulties in obtaining comparative data have meant that little is known about what happens when lecturers change teaching language in this way.

    The work presented here follows eighteen lecturers of various disciplines from two Swedish universities who are in the process of changing their teaching language to English. The lecturers were all participants on a teaching in English training course (7.5 ECTS). As part of the course the lecturers gave ten-minute mini-lectures in their first language in a subject area that they usually teach. The following week, the lecturers gave the same lectures again in English.

    The lecture transcripts were analysed in terms of the content presented and comparative fluency. The majority of the lecturers present very similar content in both languages. However, all the lecturers speak more slowly and have shorter runs and more hesitations in their English lectures. There are a number of important differences in the ways in which lecturers dealt with this ‘slowing down’ in English, ranging from making changes to their pedagogical approach to running over time or cutting off the whole end of the lecture.

    In earlier studies lecturers who regularly teach in English suggest they do not notice much difference when teaching in one language or another. However, qualitative analysis of the 18 lecturers’ course reflections (approximately 60 000 words) shows that they were acutely aware of their limitations when teaching in English.

    This analysis provides further insights into the experiences of lecturers who are in the process of changing teaching language and a number of pedagogical recommendations are made.

  • 12.
    Airey, John
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Stockholm University.
    Tarja Nikula, Emma Dafouz, PatMoore and Ute Smit (Eds.). Conceptualising integration in CLIL and multilingual education. (2016),Bristol: Multilingual Matters. 276 pp., ISBN978-1-78309-613-8 (PBK).2017In: ESP Today - Journal of English for Specific Purposes at Tertiary Level, E-ISSN 2334-9050, Vol. 5, no 2, p. 297-302Article, book review (Other academic)
  • 13.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Berge, Maria
    Umeå University.
    Music and physics don’t mix!: What the humorous misuse of disciplinary-specific semiotic resources can tell us about disciplinary boundaries.2014In: The 5th International 360 Conference. Encompassing the multimodality of knowledge, May 8-10 2014, Aarhus University, Denmark, Aarhus: Aarhus University , 2014, p. 21-Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Becoming part of an academic discipline has been described both in terms of becoming fluent in a disciplinary discourse (Airey 2009; Airey & Linder 2009; Northedge 2002) and achieving disciplinary literacy (Airey 2011, 2013; Geisler 1994). In this paper we investigate disciplinary boundaries by documenting the responses of academics to a semiotic disciplinary hybrid. The hybrid we use is the Physikalisches Lied, a bogus piece of sheet music into which disciplinary-specific semiotic resources from the realm of physics have been incorporated to humorous effect.

    The piece is presented to three distinct disciplinary focus groups: physicists, musicians and a group of academics who have had little contact with either discipline. In order to elicit disciplinary responses that are free from researcher prompts, each focus group is first asked the simple, open-ended question What do you see here? Once discussion of this question is exhausted the focus groups are asked to identify as many puns as they can—essentially all the disciplinary items that they feel have been misappropriated—and to attempt to explain what this means from a disciplinary standpoint. The differences in the responses of the three groups are presented and analysed.

    We argue that the semiotic resources focused on by each of the three groups and the nature of the explanation offered provide evidence of the degree of integration into the disciplines of physics and music. Our findings shed light on the process of becoming a disciplinary insider and the semiotic work involved in this process.

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  • 14.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University, Sweden;Stockholm University, Sweden.
    Larsson, Johanna
    Uppsala University, Sweden.
    Developing students' disciplinary literacy?: The case of university physics2018In: Global developments in literacy research for science education / [ed] Kok-Sing Tang & Kristina Danielsson, Springer, 2018, p. 357-376Chapter in book (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    In this chapter we use the concept of disciplinary literacy (Airey, 2011a, 2013) to analyze the goals of university physics lecturers. Disciplinary literacy refers to a particular mix of disciplinary-specific communicative practices developed for three specific sites: the academy, the workplace and society. It has been suggested that the development of disciplinary literacy may be seen as one of the primary goals of university studies (Airey, 2011a). The main data set used in this chapter comes from a comparative study of physics lecturers in Sweden and South Africa (Airey, 2012, 2013; Linder, Airey, Mayaba, & Webb, 2014). Semi-structured interviews were carried out using a disciplinary literacy discussion matrix (Airey, 2011b), which enabled us to probe the lecturers' disciplinary literacy goals in the various semiotic resource systems used in undergraduate physics (i.e. graphs, diagrams, mathematics, language). The findings suggest that whilst physics lecturers have strikingly similar disciplinary literacy goals for their students, regardless of setting, they have very different ideas about whether they themselves should teach students to handle these disciplinary-specific semiotic resources. It is suggested that the similarity in physics lecturers' disciplinary literacy goals across highly disparate settings may be related to the hierarchical, singular nature of the discipline of physics (Bernstein, 1999, 2000). In the final section of the chapter some preliminary evidence about the disciplinary literacy goals of those involved in physics teacher training is presented. Using Bernstein's constructs, a potential conflict between the hierarchical singular of physics and the horizontal region of teacher training is noticeable. Going forward it would be interesting to apply the concept of disciplinary literacy to the analysis of other disciplines-particularly those with different combinations of Bernstein's classifications of hierarchical/horizontal and singular/region.

  • 15.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Larsson, Johanna
    Uppsala University.
    What Knowledge Do Trainee Physics Teachers Need to Learn?: Differences in the Views of Training Staff2014In: International Science Education Conference ISEC 2014, National Institute of Education, Singapore, 25-27 November, 2014, Singapore: Ministry of Education, National Institute of Education , 2014, p. 62-Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Although the impact of disciplinary differences on teaching and learning has been extensively discussed in the literature (e.g. Becher 1989; Becher and Trowler 2001; Lindblom-Ylännea et al. 2006; Neumann 2001; Neumann and Becher 2002), little research has explored this issue in relation to teacher training. In particular, we know of no work that examines differing views about the knowledge that trainee teachers need to learn across different settings. In this paper we analyse differences in the expressed views of staff involved in the training of prospective physics teachers in three environments: the education department, the physics department and schools. We analyse these differences in terms of two constructs: disciplinary literacy goals (Airey 2011, 2013) and disciplinary knowledge structures (Bernstein 1999).

    In terms of disciplinary literacy we find a stronger emphasis on learning goals for the academy expressed by informants from the physics and education departments. This can be contrasted with the view that the needs of the workplace are paramount expressed by school practitioners.

    Then, using Bernstein’s knowledge structures, we also identify clear differences in views about the nature of knowledge itself with a more hierarchical view of knowledge prevalent in the physics department and the more horizontal view of knowledge prevalent in the education department.

    The study highlights the often-conflicting signals about what constitutes useful knowledge that prospective physics teachers need to negotiate during their training. We tentatively suggest that more attention should be paid to both the theory/practice divide and potential epistemological differences in the training of prospective teachers.

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  • 16.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Lauridsen, Karen M.
    Aarhus University, Denmark.
    Rasanen, Anne
    University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
    Salo, Linus
    Stockholm University.
    Schwach, Vera
    Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, Norway.
    The expansion of English-medium instruction in the Nordic countries: Can top-down university language policies encourage bottom-up disciplinary literacy goals?2017In: Higher Education, ISSN 0018-1560, E-ISSN 1573-174X, Vol. 73, no 4, p. 561-576Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Recently, in the wake of the Bologna Declaration and similar international initiatives, there has been a rapid increase in the number of university courses and programmes taught through the medium of English. Surveys have consistently shown the Nordic countries to be at the forefront of this trend towards English-medium instruction (EMI). In this paper, we discuss the introduction of EMI in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). We present the educational setting and the EMI debate in each of these countries and summarize relevant research findings. We then make some tentative suggestions for the introduction of EMI in higher education in other countries. In particular, we are interested in university language policies and their relevance for the day-to-day work of faculty. We problematize one-size-fits-all university language policies, suggesting that in order for policies to be seen as relevant they need to be flexible enough to take into account disciplinary differences. In this respect, we make some specific suggestions about the content of university language policies and EMI course syllabuses. Here we recommend that university language policies should encourage the discussion of disciplinary literacy goals and require course syllabuses to detail disciplinary-specific language-learning outcomes.

  • 17.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Linder, Anne
    Uppsala University.
    Mayaba, Nokhanyo
    Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa.
    Webb, Paul
    Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa.
    Problematising Disciplinary Literacy in a Multilingual Society: The Case of University Physics in South Africa2013In: 21st Annual Conference of the Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa, 14 - 17 January, 2013, 2013Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Over a decade has passed since Northedge (2002) convincingly argued that the role of the university lecturer should be viewed as one of leading students on excursions into the specialist discourse of their field. In his view, disciplinary discourses have come into being in order to create and share disciplinary knowledge that could not otherwise be appropriately construed in everyday discourse. Thus, Northedge’s conclusion is that in order for disciplinary learning to occur, students will need explicit guidance in accessing and using the specialist discourse of their chosen field. Building on this work, Airey (in press) argues that all university lecturers are, at least to some extent, teachers of language—even in monolingual settings. A radical approach to this claim has been suggested by Wickman and Östman (2002) who insist that learning itself be treated as a form of discourse change.

    In an attempt to operationalise Wickman and Östman’s assertion, Airey (2011b) suggests that the goals of any undergraduate degree programme may be framed in terms of the development of disciplinary literacy. Here, disciplinary literacy is defined as the ability to appropriately participate in the communicative practices of a discipline. Further, in his subsequent work, Airey (2011a) claims that all disciplines attempt to meet the needs of three specific sites: the academy, the workplace and society. He argues that the relative emphasis placed on teaching for these three sites will be different from discipline to discipline and will indeed vary within a discipline depending on the setting. In the South African setting two questions arise from this assertion. The first is: For any given discipline, what particular balance between teaching for the academy, the workplace and society is desirable and/or practicable? The second question follows on from the first: Having pragmatically decided on the teaching balance between the academy, workplace and society, what consequences does the decision have for the language(s) that lecturers should be helping their students to interpret and use? In order to address these two questions we conducted an interview-based case study of the disciplinary literacy goals of South African university lecturers in one particular discipline (physics). Thus, our overarching research question is as follows: How do South African physics lecturers problematise the development of disciplinary literacy in their students?

    The data collected forms part of a larger international comparative study of the disciplinary literacy goals of physics lecturers in Sweden and South Africa. A disciplinary literacy discussion matrix (Airey, 2011a) was employed as the starting point for conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 physics lecturers from five South African universities. The choice of these five universities was purposeful—their student cohorts encompassing a range of different first languages and cultural backgrounds. The interviews were conducted in English, lasted between 30 and 60 minutes, and were later transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were then analysed qualitatively. This involved “working with data, organizing it, breaking it into manageable units, synthesizing it, searching for patterns, discovering what is important and what is to be learned, and deciding what you will tell others” (Bogdan & Biklen, 1992:145).

    The main finding of this study is that all the lecturers mentioned language as being problematic in some way. However, there were a number of important differences in the ways the lecturers problematise the development of disciplinary literacy both across and within the different university physics departments. These differences can be seen to involve on the one hand, the lecturers’ own self-image in terms of whether they are comfortable with viewing themselves as language teachers/literacy developers, and on the other hand, their recognition of the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of their students. The differences will be illustrated and discussed using transcript excerpts. These findings are in contrast to parallel data collected in Sweden. In that particular (bilingual) setting, language was viewed as unproblematic, and the most striking characteristic was the very similarity of the responses of physics lecturers (Airey, in press). It is thus suggested that the differences in findings between Sweden and South Africa are a product of the latter’s diverse multilingual and multicultural environment. One pedagogical conclusion is that, given the differences in approach we find, inter- and intra faculty discussions about undergraduate disciplinary literacy goals would appear to have the distinct potential for reforming undergraduate physics. Similarly, an administrative conclusion is that a one-size-fits-all language policy for universities does not appear to be meaningful in such a diverse multilingual/multicultural environment.

    Finally, it should be mentioned that our choice of physics as an exemplar in this study has important implications for the interpretation of the findings. Drawing on Bernstein (1999), Martin (2011) suggests that disciplines have predominantly horizontal or hierarchical knowledge structures. Here it is claimed that physics has the most hierarchical knowledge structure of all disciplines. Thus, the findings presented here should be taken as illustrative of the situation in disciplines with more hierarchical knowledge structures (such as the natural and applied sciences). Kuteeva and Airey (in review) find that the issue of the language of instruction in such disciplines is viewed as much less problematic than in disciplines with more horizontal knowledge structures (such as the arts, humanities and, to some extent, social sciences). See Bennett (2010) for a provocative discussion of language use in such disciplines.

  • 18.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Linder, Cedric
    Uppsala University, Sweden.
    Social semiotics in university physics education: Leveraging critical constellations of disciplinary representations2015In: Science Education Research: Engaging learners for a sustainable future / [ed] Jari Lavonen, Kalle Juuti, Jarkko Lampiselkä, Anna Uitto, Kaisa Hahl, European Science Education Research Association , 2015Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Social semiotics is a broad construct where all communication is viewed as being realized through signs and their signification. In physics education we usually refer to these signs as disciplinary representations. These disciplinary representations are the semiotic resources used in physics communication, such as written and oral languages, diagrams, graphs, mathematics, apparatus and simulations. This alternative depiction of representations is used to build theory with respect to the construction and sharing of disciplinary knowledge in the teaching and learning of university physics. Based on empirical studies of physics students cooperating to explain the refraction of light, a number of theoretical constructs were developed. In this presentation we describe these constructs and examine their usefulness for problematizing teaching and learning in university physics. The theoretical constructs are: fluency in semiotic resources, disciplinary affordance and critical constellations.

    The conclusion formulates a proposal that has these constructs provide university physics teachers with a new set of meaningfully and practical tools, which will enable them to re-conceptualize their practice in ways that have the distinct potential to optimally enhance student learning.

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  • 19.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Urban, Eriksson
    Uppsala University ; Kristianstad University.
    A Semiotic Analysis of the Disciplinary Affordances of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram in Astronomy2014In: The 5th International 360 Conference, Encompassing the multimodality of knowledge, May 8-10 2014, Aarhus University, Denmark, Aarhus: Aarhus University , 2014, p. 22-Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    One of the central characteristics of disciplines is that they create their own particular ways of knowing the world through their discourse (Airey & Linder 2009). This process is facilitated by the specialization and refinement of disciplinary-specific semiotic resources over time. Nowhere is this truer than in the sciences, where it is the norm that disciplinary-specific representations have been introduced and then refined by a number of different actors (Airey 2009). As a consequence, many of the semiotic resources used in the sciences today still retain some traces of their historical roots. This makes the aquisition of disciplinary literacy (Airey, 2013) particularly problematic (see Eriksson et al. 2014 for an example from astronomy).

     In this paper we analyse one such disciplinary-specific semiotic resource from the field of Astronomy—the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. We audit the potential of this semiotic resource to provide access to disciplinary knowledge—what Fredlund et al (2012) have termed its disciplinary affordances. Our analysis includes consideration of the use of scales, labels, symbols, sizes and colour. We show how, for historical reasons, the use of these aspects in the resource may differ from what might be expected by a newcomer to the discipline.

    We suggest that some of the issues we highlight in our analysis may, in fact, be contributors to alternative conceptions and therefore propose that lecturers pay particular attention to the disambiguation of these features for their students.

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  • 20.
    Airey, John
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Uppsala University.
    Urban, Eriksson
    Uppsala University ; Kristianstad University.
    What do you see here?: Using an analysis of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram in astronomy to create a survey of disciplinary discernment.2014In: The first Conference of the International Association for Cognitive Semiotics, Lund, Sweden, 25-27 Sept 2014, 2014, p. 52-53Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Becoming part of a discipline involves learning to interpret and use a range of disciplinary-specific semiotic resources (Airey, 2009). These resources have been developed and assigned particular specialist meanings over time. Nowhere is this truer than in the sciences, where it is the norm that disciplinary-specific representations have been introduced and then refined by a number of different actors in order to reconcile them with subsequent empirical and theoretical advances. As a consequence, many of the semiotic resources used in the sciences today still retain some (potentially confusing) traces of their historical roots. However, it has been repeatedly shown that university lecturers underestimate the challenges such disciplinary specific semiotic resources may present to undergraduates (Northedge, 2002; Tobias, 1986).

    In this paper we analyse one such disciplinary-specific semiotic resource from the field of Astronomy—the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. First, we audit the potential of this semiotic resource to provide access to disciplinary knowledge—what Fredlund et al (2012) have termed its disciplinary affordances. Our analysis includes consideration of the use of scales, labels, symbols, sizes and colour. We show how, for historical reasons, the use of these aspects in the resource may differ from what might be expected by a newcomer to the discipline. Using the results of our analysis we then created an online questionnaire to probe what is discerned (Eriksson, Linder, Airey, & Redfors, in press) with respect to each of these aspects by astronomers and physicists ranging from first year undergraduates to university professors.

    Our findings suggest that some of the issues we highlight in our analysis may, in fact, be contributors to the alternative conceptions of undergraduate students and we therefore propose that lecturers pay particular attention to the disambiguation of these features for their students.

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  • 21.
    Alantie, Sonja
    et al.
    University of Turku, Finland;Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
    Tyrkkö, Jukka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Makkonen, Tanja
    University of Turku, Finland;Tampere University Hospital, Finland.
    Renvall, Kati
    University of Turku, Finland;Macquarie University, Australia.
    Is Old Age Just a Number in Language Skills?: Language Performance and Its Relation to Age, Education, Gender, Cognitive Screening, and Dentition in Very Old Finnish Speakers2022In: Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, ISSN 1092-4388, E-ISSN 1558-9102, Vol. 65, no 1, p. 274-291Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Purpose:This study reports on how very old (VO) Finnish people without dementia perform in the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and two verbal fluency tasks and which demographic factors predict the performance.

    Method:The study included fifty 80- to 100-year-old community-dwelling Finnish speakers with no dementing illnesses or speech-language disabilities, who completed the WAB and two verbal fluency tasks. Multifactorial statistical analyses with recursive partitioning were carried out to determine the significant predictors out of five predictor variables (age, gender, education, dentition, and Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) for four response variables (WAB Aphasia Quotient [AQ], Language Quotient [LQ], semantic, and phonemic word fluencies).

    Results:Overall, individual variation was notable in VO speakers. All predictor variables were statistically significantly associated with one or more of the language skills. Age was the most significant predictor; the critical age of 85–86 years was associated with a decline in WAB-AQ and semantic fluency. Poor dentition and the MMSE score both predicted a decline in WAB-LQ and phonemic fluency. A high level of education was positively associated with the skills of the best-performing individuals in WAB-AQ, WAB-LQ, and semantic fluency.

    Conclusions:VO age is a significant factor contributing to language performance. However, a younger age, a good cognitive performance, intact teeth, and a higher educational level also seem to have a preservative power as regards language skills. Gender differences should be interpreted with caution. The results of this study provide culture- and language-specific normative data, which aids in differentiating typical aging from the signs of acute or degenerative neuropathology to ensure appropriate medical and therapeutic interventions.

  • 22.
    Alasuutari, Pertti
    et al.
    University of Tampere, Finland.
    Rautalin, Marjaana
    University of Tampere, Finland.
    Tyrkkö, Jukka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    The Rise of the Idea of Model in Policymaking: The case of the British parliament, 1803-20052018In: European Journal of Sociology / Archives Européennes de Sociologie, ISSN 0003-9756, Vol. 59, no 3, p. 341-363Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The paper addresses the question whether national decision-making has become increasingly interdependent in recent decades, and what role “world models” play in any such trend. These questions are scrutinised by utilising the “Historic Hansard” corpus, which contains all records of the UK Parliament from 1803 to 2005, complemented by other corpora. The results show that references to other countries were most frequent in parliamentary debates very early in the 19th century. However, allusions to other countries have evolved from referencing case examples to referencing policies that are constructed and branded as models. The idea of transferable models caught on particularly strongly from the 1950s onward. The other corpora used for the study confirmed that these changes reflect a global trend. Hence, the post-war era has witnessed a worldwide spread of the idea of model as a precondition for a global proliferation of named models.

  • 23.
    Alfter, David
    et al.
    University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Falk, Olof
    University of Borås, Sweden.
    Ihrmark, Daniel
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Cultural Sciences.
    Golub, Koraljka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Cultural Sciences.
    Humelsjö, Siska
    University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Automatic subject indexing of Swedish LGBTQ+ fiction2024Conference paper (Refereed)
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  • 24.
    Alfter, David
    et al.
    Gothenburg University, Sweden.
    Falk, Olof
    University of Borås, Sweden.
    Ihrmark, Daniel
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Golub, Koraljka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Cultural Sciences.
    Humlesjö, Siska
    Gothenburg University, Sweden.
    Automatic subject indexing of Swedish LGBTQ+ fiction2024In: Presented at Huminfra Conference (HiC), Gothenburg, 10 jan 2024 - 11 jan 2024, 2024Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Fiction is a challenging genre for automatic theme identification. Unlike other types of documents, such as physics academic papers, fiction does not always name the concepts it addresses, but rather implies them through subtle clues. Fiction also uses metaphors intentionally to convey deeper meanings. To make Swedish LGBTQ+ fiction more accessible, the Queerlit database (https://queerlit.dh.gu.se/) provides subject indexing by information professionals. They use the QLIT thesaurus (based on Homosaurus) for LGBTQ+ themes and Swedish Subject Headings (SAO – Svenska Ämnesord) for non-LGBTQ+ themes. The indexing is comprehensive and retrospective, assigning terms to previously published Swedish fiction.

    This work aims to determine to what degree and under which conditions is it possible to automatically assign subject index terms from QLIT, in order to estimate the usefulness of automatic tools to support subject indexing conducted by information professionals. This process may require a large number of training documents which are not available (the entire Queerlit database has about 2000 works indexed and QLIT has about 800 terms, while SAO is much bigger). Therefore, another approach will be explored – whether automatically extracted terms from the texts provide the potential to complement existing, professionally assigned terms from QLIT and SAO. We experiment with zero-shot classification transformers and topic modeling.

    The proposed paper will present the intermediate results of different methods applied to available texts from the QLIT database. It is important to note that the project is currently in an exploratory phase and that the presentation is intended to showcase how different approaches have both failed and succeeded. We also intend to highlight areas of possible applicability specifically from the perspective afforded by the QLIT thesaurus, i.e., the appropriateness of the methods for Swedish LGBTQ+ fiction. We will also discuss the challenges and limitations of automatic theme identification for fiction, especially for LGBTQ+ themes that are often implicit or nuanced.

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  • 25.
    Alhomsi, Dani
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Faced with a challenge, the student aiming for success does not give up: Translating English free adjuncts and non-finite postmodifiers into Swedish2024Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates the translation of present participial, past participial and adjectival free adjuncts and the translation of non-finite postmodifiers in a Swedish translation of an English-language non-fiction text.

    Similarly to previous studies, coordination proves to be the most frequent translation strategy for the translation of present participial free adjuncts. The translation strategy proves useful for maintaining the ambiguity of the source text in the target text, but also for the early placement of main verbs in clauses. In contrast to present participial free adjuncts, the most frequent strategy for past participial and adjectival free adjuncts is translating the free adjuncts into main clauses. The use of the strategy is motivated by the fact that it allows the early placement of main verbs in clauses. The strategy is also used for following the Swedish principle of “one thought–one sentence” and the principle of iconicity.

    There are significant differences in the translation of different non-finite postmodifiers. Translating postmodifying ing-clauses into relative postmodifying clauses is the most frequent strategy. The reason relates to the fact that postmodifying ing-clauses can often be paraphrased into relative clauses in English. The relative postmodifying clause strategy is also the most frequent strategy for the translation of postmodifying ed-clauses. However, postmodifying ed-clauses are also often turned into prepositional attributes, which is not the case for postmodifying ing-clauses. Many different strategies have been used for the translation of postmodifying infinitive clauses, although the most frequent strategy is to translate the postmodifying infinitive clause into an infinitive attribute. 

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  • 26.
    Alissandrakis, Aris
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Reski, Nico
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Laitinen, Mikko
    University of Eastern Finland, Finland.
    Tyrkkö, Jukka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Levin, Magnus
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Lundberg, Jonas
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Visualizing dynamic text corpora using Virtual Reality2018In: ICAME 39 : Tampere, 30 May – 3 June, 2018: Corpus Linguistics and Changing Society : Book of Abstracts, Tampere: University of Tampere , 2018, p. 205-205Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In recent years, data visualization has become a major area in Digital Humanities research, and the same holds true also in linguistics. The rapidly increasing size of corpora, the emergence of dynamic real-time streams, and the availability of complex and enriched metadata have made it increasingly important to facilitate new and innovative approaches to presenting and exploring primary data. This demonstration showcases the uses of Virtual Reality (VR) in the visualization of geospatial linguistic data using data from the Nordic Tweet Stream (NTS) project (see Laitinen et al 2017). The NTS data for this demonstration comprises a full year of geotagged tweets (12,443,696 tweets from 273,648 user accounts) posted within the Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden). The dataset includes over 50 metadata parameters in addition to the tweets themselves.

    We demonstrate the potential of using VR to efficiently find meaningful patterns in vast streams of data. The VR environment allows an easy overview of any of the features (textual or metadata) in a text corpus. Our focus will be on the language identification data, which provides a previously unexplored perspective into the use of English and other non-indigenous languages in the Nordic countries alongside the native languages of the region.

    Our VR prototype utilizes the HTC Vive headset for a room-scale VR scenario, and it is being developed using the Unity3D game development engine. Each node in the VR space is displayed as a stacked cuboid, the equivalent of a bar chart in a three-dimensional space, summarizing all tweets at one geographic location for a given point in time (see: https://tinyurl.com/nts-vr). Each stacked cuboid represents information of the three most frequently used languages, appropriately color coded, enabling the user to get an overview of the language distribution at each location. The VR prototype further encourages users to move between different locations and inspect points of interest in more detail (overall location-related information, a detailed list of all languages detected, the most frequently used hashtags). An underlying map outlines country borders and facilitates orientation. In addition to spatial movement through the Nordic areas, the VR system provides an interface to explore the Twitter data based on time (days, weeks, months, or time of predefined special events), which enables users to explore data over time (see: https://tinyurl.com/nts-vr-time).

    In addition to demonstrating how the VR methods aid data visualization and exploration, we will also briefly discuss the pedagogical implications of using VR to showcase linguistic diversity.

  • 27.
    Alissandrakis, Aris
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Reski, Nico
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Laitinen, Mikko
    University of Eastern Finland, Finland.
    Tyrkkö, Jukka
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Lundberg, Jonas
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Technology, Department of computer science and media technology (CM).
    Levin, Magnus
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Visualizing rich corpus data using virtual reality2019In: Studies in Variation, Contacts and Change in English, E-ISSN 1797-4453, Vol. 20Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We demonstrate an approach that utilizes immersive virtual reality (VR) to explore and interact with corpus linguistics data. Our case study focuses on the language identification parameter in the Nordic Tweet Stream corpus, a dynamic corpus of Twitter data where each tweet originated within the Nordic countries. We demonstrate how VR can provide previously unexplored perspectives into the use of English and other non-indigenous languages in the Nordic countries alongside the native languages of the region and showcase its geospatial variation. We utilize a head-mounted display (HMD) for a room-scale VR scenario that allows 3D interaction by using hand gestures. In addition to spatial movement through the Nordic areas, the interface enables exploration of the Twitter data based on time (days, weeks, months, or time of predefined special events), making it particularly useful for diachronic investigations.

    In addition to demonstrating how the VR methods aid data visualization and exploration, we briefly discuss the pedagogical implications of using VR to showcase linguistic diversity. Our empirical results detail students’ reactions to working in this environment. The discussion part examines the benefits, prospects and limitations of using VR in visualizing corpus data.

  • 28.
    Alkenäs, Pauline
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    'Men in Grey Suits': Androcentric Language in the House of Commons: A Corpus-Assisted Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis2022Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    Whilst the number of women in the British Parliament increases in line with social progress towards gender equality, androcentric language use in the House of Commons prevails and perpetuates a harmful outdated hierarchical order of gender. The aims of this study are two-fold, (1) to gain insight into how androcentric occupational titles are used to negotiate the hierarchical structure of the Chamber, (2) to explore how MPs’ male bias is reflected by their use of androcentric generic nouns. From a gender perspective with the theoretical framework of feminist critical discourse analysis (CDA), this study analyses debates from the Hansard at Huddersfield Corpus. The analysis found that the term chairman can be used to ascribe rank as it contains an additional level of authority that the gender-neutral chair lacks. Through the use of androcentric generic nouns, the analysis uncovered how a male bias is internalised from various linguistic constructions such as conventional expressions and quotations that portray man as the norm. Stereotypical associations to denominators of professions, subject areas, and their hierarchical order determined by the hegemonic relationship between women and men were found to influence lexical choices. As a result of MPs’ use of androcentric generic nouns, non-male people are misrepresented and constrained by the implications of their connotated gendered meanings. 

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  • 29.
    Alklid, Jonathan
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Twitch, a Breath of Fresh Air?: An Analysis of Sexism on Twitch.tv2015Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    The issue of sexism is arguably an important topic in modern society in several aspects of life. With the introduction of the Internet and communication over the Internet, additional potential sources of sexism have emerged. While there appears to have been a significant number of studies regarding sexism in cyberspace, Twitch.tv is a relatively new platform and seems yet to be properly explored. Therefore, while being limited in size, the present study aims to provide an introduction to Twitch.tv by performing a limited investigation of the extent of sexist behaviour and ideas expressed by users on the site, particularly against female streamers. To accomplish this, 30,000 lines of chat messages from six different chatrooms, three belonging to women and the remaining three to men, were examined for sexist behaviour, based on a variety of parameters such as differences in language complexity and instances of sexist remarks. The results suggested that several varieties of sexism existed on Twitch, and was directed at both men and women, where women seemed to be more heavily affected than men. The conclusion of the study is that Twitch does not seem to be a breath of fresh air in cyberspace as it appears to embody numerous sexist ideas. However, the author notes that Twitch could serve as a potentially useful source of data for future gender studies online.

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  • 30.
    Allard, Therese
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    A Visit to the Gentle Island: How to retain the pragmatic functions of a tourist guide in translation2014Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This study discusses how the pragmatic text functions of the Prince Edward Island Visitor’s Guide can be retained in translation from English into Swedish. Katharina Reiss’ model of texttypes and their different functions have been used to identify the functions of the source text, and in order to investigate the possibilities of retaining these functions in the target text, the discussion is tied to text features where the pragmatic text functions are displayed. The translation choices, next, are supported by the translation strategies offered by Rune Ingo and Peter Newmark. The results show that the informative function can be retained by using the translation strategies of addition or explicitation in most cases, whereas the operative function can be retained by copying the sentence structure or the direct address from the source text to the target text. The expressive function, next, can be retained by using Ingo’s strategy of equivalence. However, there are also examples where the expressive function has to be neglected in favor of the informative function.

     

     

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    AVisitToTheGentleIsland
  • 31.
    Allen, Christopher
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Conceptions of Personal Learning Environments Among EFL Teachers at Upper Secondary Level in Sweden2013In: 20 Years of EUROCALL: Learning from thePast, Looking to the Future. Proceedings of the 2013 EUROCALL Conference, Évora, Portugal, 2013, p. 7-13Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    In recent years, virtual learning environments (VLEs) or course management systems (CMSs) have become commonplace in European higher education as well as making inroads into primary and secondary schools. VLEs such as Moodle, Blackboard and It's Learning offer educational institutions standardized packages in the form of a range of administrative, pedagogical and communicative tools. Teachers of English as a foreign language at secondary and tertiary levels are certainly no exceptions to this trend, employing VLEs as learning platforms to support a variety of ITC-based learning activities and tasks. VLEs have however attracted criticism from some quarters in that they may be seen merely as virtual embodiments of the classroom with all the restrictions which the 'physical' classroom has traditionally entailed (Weller 2007). Furthermore it has been argued that VLEs have failed to embrace the full advantages of Web 2.0 technologies or acknowledge trends towards informal learning afforded by social media etc. The response to this criticism has been the envisioning of Personal Learning Environments or PLEs which utilise the plethora of free, often collaborative online resources and tools now available to learners. This paper explores the conceptualisation of PLEs and their advantages / disadvantages vis-à-vis VLEs among upper secondary school teachers of English in Sweden on the basis of pedagogical principles put forward as part of the Open University's SocialLearn and OpenLearn matrices (Conole 2008). It is suggested that the mapping of the core frameworks of thinking and reflection, experience and activity, conversation and interaction and evidence and demonstration to a set of learning principles can provide the basis for the evaluation of PLEs as envisioned by teachers and learners.

  • 32.
    Allen, Christopher
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Marriages of convenience?: Teachers and coursebooks in the digital age2015In: ELT Journal, ISSN 0951-0893, E-ISSN 1477-4526, Vol. 69, no 3, p. 249-263Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This article reports on a survey of Swedish EFL teachers’ attitudes towards,and dependence on, ELT coursebook packages in the light of recent researchinto digital literacy. The results showed that while ICT is making massiveinroads into language classrooms in technologically advantaged countrieslike Sweden, the coursebook package still has its place assured amongtrainee teachers, at least for the immediate future. The current generationof ‘digital native’ pre-service teachers still looks to coursebook packagesto structure lessons during teaching practice and as a means of providingextended reading practice in the L2. Their more experienced in-servicecolleagues are, however, increasingly abandoning the coursebook in favour offreestanding digital resources. Practising teachers in the survey increasinglysaw coursebooks in contingency terms and as a ‘fall-back’ position. Finally,the article considers the desirability of a more fundamental abandonment ofthe coursebook in favour of digital tools and resources in the EFL classroom.

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  • 33.
    Allen, Christopher
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    MOOCs as primers in EFL Teacher Training2017In: The Teacher Trainer Journal, ISSN 0951-7626, Vol. 31, no 1, p. 11-13Article in journal (Other academic)
  • 34.
    Allen, Christopher
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Reacting to the technology splurge: information and Communications Technology (ICT) Training for EFL teachers in the one-to-one era2015In: The Teacher Trainer Journal, ISSN 0951-7626, Vol. 29, no 3, p. 19-21Article in journal (Other academic)
  • 35.
    Allen, Christopher
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Social media as an alternative to Moodle in EFL teaching practice forums2015In: Critical CALL – Proceedings of the 2015 EUROCALL Conference, Padova, Italy / [ed] Francesca Helm, Linda Bradley, Marta Guarda, Sylvie Thouësny., Research-publishing.net, 2015, p. 9-15Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    This paper reports on the preferences among a group of pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher trainees for social media rather than Moodle, an institutional Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), as a forum for support during a recent five week teaching practice in southern Sweden. The teacher trainees responded to a questionnaire relating to preferences for their own Facebook group as opposed to the Moodle forum set up specifically by the course tutor for the purpose of sharing observations and discussing lesson planning, aspects of reflective practice and resources while on teaching practice. Their reflections shed interesting light on the importance of student EFL teacher ownership and ‘student centricity’ in the learning space. These concepts emerge from a consideration of the learning space at the intersection of pedagogical, technological and content knowledge and the nature of forum discussions when faced with the alternative between social media and institutionalized learning platforms under the direction of teacher trainers and course managers.

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  • 36.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Berggren, Jan
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of pedagogy.
    Digital literacy and sustainability: a field study in EFL teacher development2016In: CALL communities and culture: short papers from EUROCALL 2016 / [ed] Salomi Papadima-Sophocleous, Linda Bradley, Sylvie Thouësny, 2016, p. 14-19Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This project introduces the concept of digital literacy at a practical level to a group of EFL teachers within the context of a single work place; a technologically well-resourced upper secondary school in Sweden. English teachers were provided with a theoretical and practical overview of the digital literacy concept as described by Dudeney, Hockly, and Pegrum (2013) before being given the task of each teaching a lesson. The teachers’ reflective experiences of incorporating digital literacy into advanced level English teaching were then evaluated through a focus group interview. The results obtained show the efficacy of incorporating small scale exploratory practice research projects alongside busy teaching schedules and administrative demands as well as developing teachers’ perspectives on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. In addition, the project has promoted synergies and collaboration among a school staff engaged in the long-term goal of continued professional development.

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  • 37.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    del Carmen Boloña, Maria
    Universidad Casa Grande, Ecuador.
    Collegial evaluation of online English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses2023In: EUROCALL 2023: CALL for all Languages / [ed] Branislav Bédi; Yazdan Choubsaz; Kolbrún Friðriksdóttir; Ana Gimeno-Sanz; Súsanna Björg Vilhjálmsdóttir; Sofiya Zahova, 2023, p. 74-79Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This paper reports on a joint pilot study project between two universities in Ecuador and Sweden to develop a practical working framework for the evaluation of each respective institution’s online/blended courses in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The basis for the evaluation is the Conversational Framework (Laurilland, 2012), later developed in the form of a MOOC course in online and blended learning. This course is offered by the Future Learn social learning platform, which offers a large variety of online courses from a consortium of universities worldwide. The teaching and learning of ESP is characterised as the development of learner concepts and practice through interaction between the instructor and learner peers through collaboration and interaction. The learning process in ESP is envisaged using the Conversational Framework in terms of six basic learning types: acquisition, collaboration, discussion, inquiry/investigation, practice, and production. Our work reports on the process of assessing each other’s online courses in terms of the extent to which opportunities are provided for students to engage in these learning types. Results from this pilot study suggest that the Conversational Framework can provide a simple, robust, and transparent basis for the initial evaluation of online courses.

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  • 38.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Hadjistassou, Stella
    University of Cyprus, Cyprus.
    Remote tutoring of pre-service EFL teachers using iPads2018In: ELT Journal, ISSN 0951-0893, E-ISSN 1477-4526, Vol. 72, no 4, p. 353-364Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    With the availability of portable and relatively inexpensive audiovideo recording devices in the form of iPads and other mobile technologies in combination with increasing bandwidth, the remote observation and training of pre-service EFL student teachers without the physical presence of a tutor in the classroom is now a viable proposition. This paper reports on a novel initiative to provide remote feedback to a group of primary EFL pre-service teachers on teaching practice placement in Africa from a tutor based in Sweden via iPad minis and the training institution’s Moodle virtual learning environment. The feedback was assessed in relation to the Cambridge English Teaching Framework. Results suggest that the combination of recorded audiovideo material during the pre-service teachers’ teaching practice and Moodle feedback from the remote tutor can provide a valuable basis for tutorial support, formative assessment, and reflection for student EFL teachers on teaching practice.

  • 39.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Hadjistassou, Stella K.
    KIOS Research Center for Intelligent Systems and Networks, Cyprus.
    Richardson, David
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Self-evaluation using iPads in EFL teaching practice2016In: CALL communities and culture: short papers from EUROCALL 2016 / [ed] Salomi Papadima-Sophocleous, Linda Bradley, Sylvie Thouësny, 2016, p. 20-24Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The relentlessly accelerating global educational demands for teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) in multiple, diverse, and often remote geographic locations constitute new challenges for academic institutions, teacher training and preparation programs, and teachers themselves. This study describes a novel approach where five elementary school preservice teachers teaching ESL/EFL borrowed an iPad mini from their teacher training institution customized with specific apps to record a series of five teaching sequences during their teaching practice placement in elementary schools in Tanzania and Kenya. All recorded sessions were uploaded to a Moodle Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)site specially constructed for the purpose of the teaching practice course. Results indicate that, apart from their experienced instructors’ feedback on their teaching practice, the recorded sessions formed constructive tools for self-reflection, self-evaluation and the pursuit of possible paths for improvement.

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  • 40.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Linnaeus University, Linnaeus Knowledge Environments, Education in Change.
    Hadjistassou, Stella
    KIOS Research and Innovation Centre, Cyprus.
    Richardson, David
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Waldman, Tina
    Kibbutzim College of Education, Israel.
    Intercultural exchanges among pre-service teachers in Israel and Sweden as a path of introduction into the epistemology and practice of teaching2021In: CALL and professionalisation: short papers from EUROCALL 2021 / [ed] Naouel Zoghlami; Cédric Brudermann; Cedric Sarré; Muriel Grosbois; Linda Bradley; Sylvie Thouësny, Research-publishing.net, 2021, p. 18-22Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This paper presents the outcomes of a short intercultural exchangeproject involving pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher trainingestablishments in Sweden and Israel. The project comprised three online meetingsrecorded in Zoom in which student teachers gave feedback on each other’s projectassignments involving lesson planning and the use of spoken English in theclassroom. The sessions were moderated by a highly experienced teacher trainerwith contributions from other teacher trainers in the institutions involved. Withrestrictions imposed on physical meetings and student mobility by the Covid-19pandemic, the exchange helped to shed light on a number of perennial issues inEnglish language teaching methodology and offers a feasible model for futuresustainable virtual exchanges in EFL teacher training.

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  • 41.
    Allen, Christopher
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Richardson, David
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    The role of educational technologists in the provision of language courses in higher education: a case study2019In: CALL and complexity: Short papers from EUROCALL 2019 / [ed] Fanny Meunier; Julie Van de Vyver; Linda Bradley; Sylvie Thouësny, Research-publishing.net, 2019, p. 7-12Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In recent years, schools, municipalities, and universities have madeincreasing use of educational technologists (edtechs) to support teaching staff inthe delivery of technology-based courses in face-to-face, blended, or purely onlineformats. This paper is a case study focusing on the types of training and supportprovision provided by three edtechs within the arts and humanities faculty of a largeprovincial university in southern Sweden. The edtechs also identify a number ofobstacles in the way of developing Information and Communication Technology(ICT) and computer assisted language learning expertise among teaching staff.

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  • 42.
    Almahfali, Mohammed
    et al.
    Columbia Univ, Jordan.
    Avery, Helen
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Lund University, Sweden.
    Human Rights from an Islamic Perspective: A Critical Review of Arabic Peer-Reviewed Articles2023In: Social Sciences, E-ISSN 2076-0760, Vol. 12, no 2, article id 106Article, review/survey (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The relationship between human rights and Islam is important in countries of the Arab world where religion plays a significant role in public debates and daily life. The topic is particularly relevant at a time of sharpening conflicts and polarization, when forms of government in the region, the current world order, and the legitimacy of international organizations are increasingly contested. Much of the scholarly work published in English on this topic draws on sources available in English. This review, therefore, aims to make a contribution to the field through analysis and discussion of academic papers published in Arabic. A search was made in Google Scholar in April 2022 which yielded 12 publications published in 2020 and 2021, after inclusion and exclusion criteria had been applied. These publications were analyzed drawing on the four framing categories. A summary is also given of the definitions, sources, and premises on which the arguments of the publications draw. The reviewed papers contrast the universal and divine foundation of Islamic human rights with the limitations of modern conceptualizations based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The latter is described as emanating from Western hegemonistic aspirations and as detached from moral and spiritual values. The papers consequently argue that human rights would be guaranteed globally by generalizing a system of governance based on Shari'a law and the ideal of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Little attention is given to human rights abuses observed in Muslim societies, diverse interpretations of Islamic source texts, or concrete measures to improve human rights protections in practice. Importantly, the arguments presented in these papers tend to reinforce a contemporary discourse that frames conflicting visions on human rights as a 'clash of civilisations' between 'Islam' and 'the West'.

  • 43.
    Almokhllati, Mohamad
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Utopia Between Ciceronian Humanism and Imperialism2021Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    The premise of this thesis is to show how imperialism is an extension of Ciceronian

    humanism in More’s Utopia. Core Ciceronian premises, such as rhetoric and the vita activa

    in relation to imperialism are explored. Cicero called for liberating the barbarians from their

    savage state by dint of turning them into civic agents that enjoy their legal rights in a civil

    society by virtue of using rhetoric. Cicero’s vita activa is implemented by practicing

    philosophy of the vita activa and being active to serve the commonwealth outwardly (other

    commonwealths). This thesis shows that More’s Utopia is constructed upon Cicero’s ethical

    man; the Utopians are presented as the best people, for they are morally superior.

    Consequently, they are the best people to rule other commonwealths (imperialism).

    This thesis will also show that the ecology in Utopia is colonized and cultivated by

    the Utopians. The process of cultivation is implemented by virtue of the studia humanitatis

    and, the ecology is subordinated to the conquerors’ reason, which will be illustrated in this

    thesis. In addition, this thesis will highlight the similarities between the account of Cicero and

    More in relation to imperialism and chauvinism. Cicero’s discourse has chauvinism in his

    depiction of the Gauls and imperialism in his account of Romulus. Similarly, Hythloday’s

    account of Utopus and the Utopians is imperialistic; Utopia valorizes imperialist rhetoric by

    justifying seizing the lands of the barbarians under the pretext of civilizing them. This thesis

    also illustrates how More’s and Cicero’s rhetoric of imperialism corresponds to Herlihy-

    Mera’s three phases of cultural conquest, namely merchants, military, and politicians.

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  • 44.
    Almqvist, Simon Adam
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    An Englishman in Paris: A Study of Katherine Mansfield's Construction of Englishness in Je Ne Parle Pas Français2016Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    The author discusses the construction of Englishness in Katherine Mansfield’s short story Je Ne Parle Pas Français using previous accounts for Englishness, Otherness and the context of modernism –primarily featuring imperialism. The author concludes that there is an English identity portrayed in Je Ne Parle Pas Français, but that it is to a greater extent associated with imperialism than other identifiable cultural traits.

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  • 45.
    Almroth, Tove
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Damsel In Command:  The Characterization of Beverly Marsh in It and It Chapter 22022Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This essay analyzes the character of Beverly Marsh in Andrés Muschietti’s It and It Chapter 2. By using previous research on women in horror, Beverly’s character is dissected with regards to sexualization and agency. Both the films contrast the common trope of the weak sexualized woman in horror movies by staying away from over-sexualization and making Beverly an equal to her male counterparts.

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  • 46.
    Al-Tehmazi, Nahid
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    A Reader’s Response Approach to Lydia Millet’s “Zoogoing”2021Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    Since its establishment, the study of environmental literature has included a great deal of research which has based its arguments on assumptions that state that climate fiction contains persuasive elements that are impactful on readers. The problem with these assumptions is that they do not offer any empirical proof to demonstrate their arguments. This thesis offers an empirical study of the reception of Lydia Millet’s short story “Zoogoing” and examines whether or not the story is able to generate an animal welfare consciousness in the context of climate change within an audience that includes 10 participants from Bahrain. This project was conducted via two surveys on SurveySparrow, one before and the other after the participants had read the story. From the findings, it was revealed that the extinction narrative was able to help the readers conceptualize future ecological possibilities. Although the narrative was able to heighten the participants’ consciousness about environmental destruction, their concern for animal conservation remained the same. What was speculated from the analysis in this thesis was that the story had lacked a representation of animals that would focus the participants’ gaze on animal extinction.

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  • 47.
    Andersson, Antonia
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Teaching English to newly arrived immigrant pupils: A qualitative case study about teachers' experiences at a Swedish secondary school2017Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This qualitative case study examines teachers’ perspectives on receiving and teaching newly arrived immigrant pupils. Previous research and the Swedish National Agency for Education have shown that immigrant pupils have a tendency to fail their education, and some researchers also implied that these children fail their English education. The aim of this essay has been to investigate how English teachers at a secondary school in southern Sweden deal with the growing number of newly arrived immigrants in their classes. The collected data is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with three teachers at a secondary school in Sweden. The results indicate that the teachers considered that it was challenging to receive and teach newly arrived immigrant pupils. They do not have enough information on how they should incorporate these children into subject planning and ongoing pedagogical initiatives. Moreover, the data also show that the participants expressed the fact that the pupils often had a low level of English proficiency, and that they occasionally did not obtain a grade in English. The pupils’ low English level connected with their ongoing Swedish acquisition made it difficult for the teachers to adapt their teaching. The Results also implied that many newly arrived pupils used English as a communication language, which may have a positive impact on their learning. 

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  • 48.
    Andersson Edén, Therese
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    The Shakespearean Stahr: Using Genette’s Theory of Intertextuality to Compare The Last Tycoon to Shakespeare’s Tragedies2017Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This essay uses Gerard Genette’s theory of intertextuality – in particular, architextuality - in order to establish the connection between Shakespearean tragedies and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last novel, The Last Tycoon. The essay relies mainly on known Shakespeare critic A.C Bradley and the categories he uses in order to establish what makes a Shakespearean tragedy a Shakespearean tragedy. This framework will then be used to further elaborate upon the architextual connection between Shakespeare and Fitzgerald. The essay also compares the characters from The Last Tycoon directly to characters from Shakespeare’s tragedies in order to further show the intertextual connections. For example, Fitzgerald's main character Monroe Stahr is compared to Julius Caesar, from Shakespeare's play of the same name, while the antagonist Mr Brady is compared to both Cassius from the previously mentioned Julius Caesar, as well as Iago from Othello

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    Shakesperean Stahr
  • 49.
    Andersson, Emelie
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Eine Untersuchung über Schreibprozesse und Schreibkonferenzen in Deutsch als Fremdsprache2018Independent thesis Basic level (professional degree), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    This study examines if and how the use of writing process and peer review can be beneficial to the text quality when writing a short essay in a foreign language. The study focuses on a group of Swedish high school students, 17 and 18 years of age, studying their second foreign language, German, with no prior experience of working with peer review in any subject. To investigate the efficiency of the use of writing process and peer review, four research questions were formulated:

     

    1   To what extent does peer review lead to an improvement of the text quality?

         a)  What comments to the texts do the students give during the group discussion?

         b)  What do the students change in their own text after the group discussion?

         c)  What are the students’ attitudes toward the work with peer review?

     

    In order to understand how the students worked with the comments and how it affected the text quality, the conversations were compared with the actual changes made between the two text versions. The comments were mostly very polite. Even when the students criticized, they tried to give feedback very gently. All texts were improved after the peer review, although most of the errors from the first draft were still present in the second version. After the writing of the second draft, the students took a survey, where they were able to express their views on various aspects of the project. The students were mostly positive to this way of working with texts, although some of them found that they did not know enough German yet. Nevertheless, most of them wanted to try it again, to see their own progress.

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  • 50.
    Andersson, Julia
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    L'accueil des mineurs non accompagnés en France et en Suède: Un thème abordant la Convention internationale des droits de l’enfant, le processus d’asile et la détermination de l’âge des MNA2022Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
    Abstract [en]

    Because of numerous armed conflicts there are a vast number of refugees around the world. Many of them are unaccompanied minors (UM), looking to seek asylum in Europe. However, the reception of these minors, as well as the decisions regarding asylum, differ between countries. This study seeks to understand the reception of unaccompanied minors in France and Sweden, by analysing the procedures of reception of UM and the asylum processes. The main research question is What are the procedures and problems posed by the reception of unaccompanied minors (UMs) in France and Sweden? Is another solution possible?

    This study is drawn upon the methods of comparative qualitative analyses and a case study of an Afghan refugee, as well as theories on political justice and UN’s Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC). By comparing the results of France and Sweden and putting them in context with a testimony of an Afghan refugee, the findings show that both countries’ procedures to receive UM are quite similar and that they in general comply with the CRC. However, the study also shows that the procedures to determine the age of the UM are subject to criticism and can complicate the asylum process for the minors. Hence there are some areas where the CRC is not completely fulfilled. In conclusion the study draws upon theories of political justice and discusses the possibility of supranational institutions to better meet the needs of UM in compliance with the CRC.

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    L'accueil des mineurs non accompagnés
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