Some school teachers' perceptions of the pupils' performance in reading comprehension : A comparative study of a selection of Swedish and Finnish primary school teachers' approach to reading comprehension among pupils in elementary school, grades 4-6.

The purpose of this study is to provide an insight into six primary school teachers’ attitudes, ideas and approaches to teaching reading comprehension in Finnish and Swedish schools. In addition, the informants’ reflections on the PISA studies’ results concerning reading comprehension are also included. The study is comparative and based on interviews with primary school teachers in Finland and Sweden. Six teachers, three from a Finish school and three from different Swedish schools, have been interviewed by e-mail. The result shows that on the one hand there are some similarities but also differences both concerning approach and practice. Regarding the reasons why the PISA results differ between the two countries, the informants seem to differ because they have different views on how their colleagues in the other country work and they have no knowledge of each other´s work