The project (Second) language in vocational education examines language learning, language practices and language requirements in vocational education programmes in upper secondary school. An increasing number of students in vocational programmes are newcomers, i.e. they have arrived in Norway at an age when they belong in secondary school or in upper secondary education. These students are particularly vulnerable in the education system, both in Norway and internationally: They have weaker school results, report less well-being and complete their upper secondary education to a lesser extent than their Norwegian-born peers (Hauge et al., 2024). Only 51.7 per cent of them complete upper secondary education on time, compared with 71.9 per cent of the student group as a whole (Statistics Norway, 2024).

The reasons for this are complex, but there is little doubt that Norwegian language skills are an important factor for students' participation, learning and success (Andreassen, 2024). Upper secondary schools offer little bilingual support in students' first language (Lødding et al., 2024), and students are thus dependent on good Norwegian language skills and/or systematic linguistic adaptation and support in Norwegian in their education - in all subjects, and both at school and in practice. However, we know that upper secondary schools in general and programme subject teachers in particular have little expertise in second language and multilingualism pedagogy (Andersen, 2024). We also have little research-based knowledge about the language practices and language requirements that characterise the various vocational education programmes and professions that students enter. The project (Second) language in vocational programmes aims to meet this need for knowledge by, among other things, investigating the language requirements of different vocational programmes and occupations, what Norwegian skills students are taught - and why, in what ways language training and support are provided, how language skills are assessed, and what experiences students and teachers have with language requirements, skills, training and support. Our research is qualitative and has an applied starting point and goal.

The project is closely linked to the further education programme Second Language Pedagogy for Vocational Teachers (Multilingual pedagogy for teachers in vocational education - SKOLE6269 - NTNU) and a DEKOM project (decentralised competence development) on the same topic in collaboration with Trøndelag County.

Dissemination and outreach

Conference presentations

Andreassen, Unni Soltun. (2024) "Æ synes når noen lærer dialekt, nesten liksom...ikke ny språk...men nesten som ny språk" - Dialektbruk i opplæringa for nyankomne elever. Nordand NordAnd 16 , Södertörns högskola.

Andreassen, Unni Soltun. (2023) Transitioning from an introduction class for newly arrived migrants to VET - Experiences with first language use. European Conference on Educational Research, University of Glasgow.

Andreassen, Unni Soltun. (2023) Førstespråk - barriere eller ressurs for læring? Nyankomne elevers erfaringer i overgangen fra kombinasjonsklasse til yrkesfaglig videregående skole. NOA-konferansen, Høgskolen i Volda.

Andreassen, Unni Soltun. (2023) Flerspråklighet i overgangen fra intro-tilbud til yrkesfaglig videregående opplæring. Nettverket Flerspråklighet i Norden FLIN 2023, Trondheim.

Andreassen, Unni Soltun. (2022) Literacy i overgangen fra grunnskole til videregående opplæring for nyankomne ungdommer. Vigdís Institute, University of Iceland NORDAND 15, Reykjavik.

Kjelaas, I. & Brekke, A.L. (2023). Language education and use in VET. University of Glasgow European Conference on Educational Research.

Kjelaas, I. (2022) Grafosentrisme som portvokting? Skriftspråkideologi i opplæringa for nyankomne ungdommer "med begrensa skriftspråklige ferdigheter". Universitetet i Tromsø - Norges arktiske universitet Møte om norsk språk.

Courses/professional lectures

Kjelaas, I. (2024) Nyankomne elever i videregående opplæring. Sandnessjøen videregående skole.

Kjelaas, I. (2023) Språkopplæring for nyankomne elever i videregående skole. Landslaget for norskundervisning.  

Podcast

Kjelaas, I. (2024). Om språkopplæring og skole for de med kort botid. Lektor Lomsdalens innfall. NTNU Open: En studie av nyankomne andrespråkselevers naturlige mangesemiotiske transspråking i gruppesamtaler i skolen.

Master project

Kuvås, M. (2024). En studie av nyankomne andrespråkselevers naturlige mangesemiotiske transspråking i gruppesamtaler i skole. NTNU Open: En studie av nyankomne andrespråkselevers naturlige mangesemiotiske transspråking i gruppesamtaler i skolen.

LiVE network > m-voc Multilingualism in Vocational Education

LIVE network with members from NTNU, Østfold University College, VIA University College, Århus, and University of Exeter, England.