Att förstå utan språk? : En ämnesdidaktisk studie om hur lärare hanterar språkets roll i geografiundervisningen i årskurs 7–9.

This study examines how the role of language in the understanding of geographical process is manifested in geography teaching in lower secondary school (grades 7–9), with particular attention to students who learn through Swedish as a second language. Geography as a school subject encompasses a wide range of content, including physical processes, societal structures, and human relationships to place, which can place high demand on students ability to comprehend and express abstract concepts and casual relationships. Within this context, language functions as a central tool for learning, reasoning and assessment. The aim of the study is to explore how geography teachers percieve the role of language in their teaching practice and how they address linguistic challenges in relation to subject content. The study is based on qualitative reasearch approach and draws semi-structured interviews with certified geography teachers working in Swedish compulsory schools. The empirical material was analysed thematically in order to identify recurring patterns in teachers descriptions of language, teaching practices and structural conditions. Overall, the results underscore the importance of recognising language as an integral part of geography teaching and point to the need for both didactic and organisational support to promote more equitable learning conditions for linguistically diverese students.