Internationella Engelska Skolan
Annakarin Johansson Sandman, Head of Academics
Magdalena Bull, Primary Years Manager
Internationella Engelska Skolan has built a coherent literacy strategy that connects screening, teaching, and follow-up - across all subjects, in two languages.
When Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES) talks about reading, they do so with both passion and precision. For more than thirty years, the organisation with 47 schools and over 30,000 students has built its teaching around three core principles: bilingualism, high expectations, and calm learning environments. Over the last four years, about half of IES schools have adopted a clear, data-driven literacy strategy where Lexplore serves as the hub. The results show a strong improvement.
Reading development at Internationella Engelska Skolan. In four years, the proportion of readers with low results has decreased by 65 percent.
The challenge: declining results and growing gaps
Like many schools in Sweden, IES noticed an increasing gap in literacy between students with a Swedish background and those with a foreign background. With about 51% of their students having a foreign background (compared to the national average of 27%), the challenge became tangible.
At the same time, the screening tools previously used didn’t provide sufficient overviews, neither at a class nor school level. The results existed, but they didn’t translate into action.
To change that, IES decided to pilot Lexplore across a group of schools with different demographics and geographic contexts. The impact was immediate: for the first time, teachers and leaders could see clear starting points for each student, and build a structured progress plan for all. Knowing these objective starting points created the baseline.
From data to teaching
At IES, data is not an end in itself, but a starting point. Screenings are carried out early and efficiently, freeing up time for analysis and instruction. The video recordings from Lexplore assessments are used for collegial learning, helping teachers in all subjects better understand how their students actually read.
These insights often explain why comprehension issues arise in other subjects like mathematics or science. “It’s just as important for a math teacher to understand how students read”, Annakarin Johansson Sandman notes. “If they can’t decode a word problem, they can’t solve it.”
”Get your baseline early, build your teaching on it, and make sure the handovers between years are smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start, learn, and refine as you go."
– Magdalena Bull, Primary Years Manager
Every teacher is a language teacher
IES teaches 50% in English and 50% in Swedish, following the Swedish national curriculum (Lgr22) while also offering Cambridge IGCSE™️ courses in subjects like English, Maths, and Science.
This bilingual approach means that language awareness isn’t limited to language classes — it runs through every subject. Teachers plan not only what to teach, but also which vocabulary, expressions, and academic language students will need to succeed in each lesson.
The long-held myth of “the fully literate reader by Grade 4” has been replaced with a new mindset: reading development continues up to Grade 9, with a focus on reading stamina and lifelong literacy growth.
Intensive reading that makes a difference
IES implements regular, structured intensive reading periods, led by teachers across all subjects. The key is active reading — not silent reading.
In one school that saw limited progress, it turned out that many students were sitting quietly, but not actually reading. When the approach changed to guided reading and paired reading, fluency and engagement improved significantly.
Another key success factor is practical support: having materials ready, setting clear goals, and following up with visible results. When teachers see before-and-after Lexplore data, motivation rises — because their impact becomes concrete.
Literacy beyond the classroom
The literacy initiative extends beyond the classroom. School librarians use Lexplore levels to help match students with appropriate books. After-school programs provide additional arenas for playful language development, especially valuable for multilingual students.
Parents and guardians are also included through clear, easy-to-understand reports showing their child’s progress over time, helping them to support reading at home.
Four years later: a new baseline for literacy
After four years, around half of IES schools are fully engaged in the literacy model. What began as a pilot has now become a new standard for quality: early baselines, quick analysis, targeted reading interventions, collaborative learning, and ongoing follow-up across all subjects.
The work continues to scale and evolve, with the same vision at its core: that every student leaves Grade 9 fully literate and bilingual — in both Swedish and English.
”All hands on deck has become more than a phrase — it’s a mindset where data, pedagogy, and shared responsibility pull in the same direction."
– Annakarin Sandman Johansson, Head of Academics
Would you like to learn more about how IES has successfully connected data, leadership, and teaching to strengthen students’ reading skills? Watch a webinar at the link below.
https://info.lexplore.com/transforming-reading-outcomes-for-all
