Fanny Forsberg Lundell
Everyone must quickly learn Swedish
June 6, 2025 | On-site | French (Simultaneous English translation is available)
Keynote Abstract (translated from French)
Fanny Forsberg Lundell
If you immigrate to Sweden, you must quickly learn Swedish. This is what has been emphasized by the political sphere for several years, both on the right and the left. Difficulties in acquiring Swedish L2 are often brought up when discussing economic integration issues. The nature of immigration in Sweden has changed over the past few decades, and the challenges associated with the development of second language skills have grown. But is it realistic for everyone to learn—especially quickly—Swedish? Why is it so difficult for a significant number of immigrants arriving in Sweden to learn Swedish? How are demographic, economic, societal, and linguistic factors interconnected in the specific case of Sweden? What expectations are reasonable to have for Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) education? What changes should be made in the education sector, and what changes are desirable in the labor market? The keynote speech addresses a current research report that attempts to explain the factors behind the second language learning challenges in Sweden, particularly literacy levels and linguistic distance, and suggests potential paths forward, both in education and in the labor market.
Bio
Stockholm University
Fanny Forsberg Lundell is a Full professor of French at Stockholm University. In addition to her numerous publications on formulaic speech in French and Spanish as a second language (L2), she has also dealt with intercultural pragmatics. Over the past decade, her work has delved into the upper limits of L2 acquisition, particularly in a context of migration and mobility, taking into account psychological and social factors. In recent years, she has shifted her focus to language policy, and is involved in the economic integration of migrants with low levels of literacy in Sweden.
