Michael Tengberg, professor of Educational Work
”The ability to read and comprehend the content of various types of texts is a fundamental skill and a resource for all further training as well as all forms of participation in contemporary culture and society.”
Michael Tengberg born and raised in Kristinehamn, has a background as a teacher in Swedish, Mathematics, Physics and Biology in lower secondary education for some years before embarking on doctoral studies and pursuing research on what had been his professional practice.
”I’ve been working at Karlstad University since 2007. I was awarded my doctorate as a student in the former Department of Comparative Literature, University of Gothenburg, 2011, but moved to Karlstad shortly after starting on the doctoral programme, which is why I eventually became engaged in teaching future teachers in Swedish at Karlstad University.”
Michael Tengberg’s research primarily deals with reading and reading instruction, for example, how students develop reading comprehension and what it actually means to understanda text. Many research projects that Michael Tengberg has participated in have also centred on in what ways instruction, or types of instruction, contribute to reading comprehension skills. His main focus has been on the role of fiction in education, and, in particular, he has spent a great deal of time on investigating the test instruments used to measure students’ reading comprehension, especially in the national test in Swedish.
”The ability to read and comprehend the content of various types of texts is a fundamental skill and a resource for all further training as well as all forms of participation in contemporary culture and society. When measuring student reading skills in different types and levels of education, we can see a strong correlation with level of knowledge in most subjects. There is a correlation because reading is a fundamental skill. Being able to read, not just decoding, but reading with a perspective, and a critical eye, skimming for overview and meaning, finding parallels or contradictions, drawing conclusion and relating content to previous experiences – all these skills are crucial to participation in the contemporary and highly text-based world of work, not to mention the ability to participate in a competent way in a democratic society. This makes knowledge of how reading instruction can support student development towards acquiring competent reading skills very important.”
Michael Tengberg emphasises that his research results are directly relevant to and communicated to institutions that benefit from his findings and can make use them in their practice.
”I belong to the group of researchers that have the privilege to report results directly to those who participate in studies and to those who can benefit the most from our findings. In my case, the stakeholders are teachers, school leaders, teacher educators and librarians. At best, teachers, for instance, can use my studies and those of my colleagues to develop their teaching. But our research also benefits anyone in the education system who need to know more about the factors and processes that affect their work and student learning.”