Two neighbouring countries and the teachers' attitudes towards the teaching of English : A comparison between upper-secondary school teachers in Västerbotten and Österbotten

The study aims to find differences and similarities in the English subject for upper-secondary schools in Österbotten Finland and Västerbotten Sweden in the sense of curricular differences and similarities but also teachers’ attitudes to the curriculum. To research whether there are any differences and/or similarities and to analyse the national curriculums, course plans and grading criteria, the study will be enabling the theories in curriculum theory as described by Linde and Englund. The study also consists of a small questionnaire study that was developed to scan and analyse teachers’ attitudes to the curriculum and how they feel it affects the teaching, planning and grading of the English subject. The study found, that there are more similarities than differences in the curriculums of the two countries. The study also found, that the teachers in Finland seem to feel more autonomous in planning teaching and grading of the English subject, than their Swedish counterparts