Mind the Gap - The transition from Swedish primary school year 3 to year 4 in the English subject : A mixed-methods study of teachers’ experiences of the transition from year 3 to year 4 in the subject of English in Swedish compulsory school

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse teachers’ experiences of the transition from year 3 to year 4 in the Swedish compulsory school regarding the subject English. The study also concerned collaboration between teachers of English both within the same unit of the school system and between different units. Both questionnaires and interviews were used to collect the data and a total amount of 32 teachers from all over the country answered the questionnaires, 12 lower primary school teachers (years 1-3) and 20 upper primary school teachers (years 4-6). Three of the lower primary school teachers and eight of the upper primary school teachers also participated in a follow-up interview. The study revealed that the information passed on from lower primary school teachers to upper primary school teachers regarding the subject English differed greatly between different schools. The teachers’ experience of how well functioning the routines regarding meetings before the transition are also differed as well as how much attention the subject received during those meetings. Collaboration between teachers within the subject was found to be close to non-existent. This study shows the importance of functional and adequate routines and guidelines concerning the transmission of information about the pupils’ knowledge development to future teachers. The transition for and the continuous teaching of the pupils ease if sufficient information is passed on.