Despite a Language Act (2009) that protects the Swedish language, influences from English are increasing on a regular basis much due to the Internet, movies, and TV. Young people grow up as ”digital natives” and thus learn English in an informal context at a very young age. However, not all young people watch movies in the English language without subtitles and partake in participatory cultures, for example, read and write blogs, or write English fan fiction. As a result of the discrepancy between those students who use English to a great extent and those who do not use the English language at all outside a school context, a Swedish classroom contains students of very diverse knowledge concerning the English language. English teachers are thus required to juggle an exceedingly diverse group of people.

This presentation reports on a study that aims to explore to what extent and in what ways teachers work in a heterogeneous classroom with particular focus on the students’ diverse knowledge of the English language. The study was conducted in the spring of 2015 where five teachers at upper secondary level were interviewed, and the results show that four of the five teachers mentioned the students’ diverse knowledge of English being the most challenging part of their work. They employ different strategies, for example, additional assignments, different levels of exercises, using a variety in teaching material and methods, and giving individual feedback to provide the students with a leaning situation that is as individually adjusted as possible.