Multilingualism (Flerspråkighet)

The ability to communicate in multiple languages. An asset in education that schools should utilise and develop.

Flerspråkighet (multilingualism) means that a person can communicate in more than one language. Multilingualism is common in Swedish schools — an estimated quarter of compulsory school students have a mother tongue other than Swedish.

The school's responsibility

The curriculum states that schools should utilise students' multilingualism as a resource. This involves mother tongue instruction, study support in the mother tongue, and a deliberate approach to language-developing methods across all subjects.

Related terms

Newly arrived students (Nyanlända elever) Students who have recently immigrated to Sweden and begun their schooling. Entitled to assessment and special support. Mother tongue instruction (Modersmålsundervisning) Instruction in the student's mother tongue, offered when at least one guardian has a native language other than Swedish. Swedish as a second language (Svenska som andraspråk, SVA) A subject for students whose mother tongue is not Swedish. Instruction is adapted to second-language acquisition conditions.

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