The Issue of Assessing Reading Literacy : A Qualitative Study of Strategies Used for Assessment by ESL Teachers at an Upper Secondary School in the South of Sweden and its Consequent Hermeneutic Process.

Abstract: A recent (2016) PISA survey has shown that, among Swedish youth, one in five students do not reach a basic level of reading literacy, a result mirrored that of a similar study from 2009, which suggests that Swedish schools and teachers have failed to address this issue successfully over a longer period of time. This raised the question of why this is and what possible measures could be taken to improve the situation. This study aimed to explore the topic of reading literacy in the ESL classroom. In particular it aimed to specifically research how teachers at a local school in southern Sweden individualise reading activities by assessing existing levels of reading literacy. This was achieved through semi-structured interviews with experienced teachers currently employed at the school who were asked whether or not they assess previous knowledge or skills and, if so, how. When challenged with a negative result, that is, no explicit strategies were discovered, the study took the form of a hermeneutic process in which new questions continuously arose and were explored regarding the subject of reading literacy. The guiding documents for Swedish upper secondary school were studied in order to clarify their approach toreading literacy and the assessment thereof. The conclusion of the study initially discusses the way in which the hermeneutic process has changed and challenged our perception of the topic of assessing reading literacy. Lastly, areas of improvement, and suggestions for future research on the subject, are discussed.