In a digital age that places high demands on communication, it has been observed that Swedish youth's vocabulary and reading comprehension have declined. This study examines the perceptions of selected teachers regarding the importance of vocabulary for students’ language development in grades 4–6 and how these teachers describe their vocabulary instruction in Swedish language education. The study also analyzes the strategies students use when encountering new words in Swedish lessons and how teaching has influenced their choices.

The purpose of the study is to explore how teachers’ perceptions influence their practices, framed within the perspective of teacher cognition theory. A mixed-methods approach was applied, involving interviews with four teachers to examine their perceptions and descriptions of vocabulary instruction. Additionally, three individual student observations were conducted to identify the strategies students employed when encountering new words. The chosen observation method, “stimulated recall,” also enabled follow-up interviews. The teacher and student interviews were analyzed thematically, while the observations were analyzed quantitatively.

The results of the teacher interviews reveal differences between teachers’ perceptions of the importance of vocabulary for students’ language development and their descriptions of vocabulary instruction. While teachers view vocabulary as crucial for students’ language development, their descriptions of teaching often lack explicit activities aimed at developing students’ vocabulary. Moreover, vocabulary development is not described as an independent learning objective in the interviews. The study also highlights variations in teachers’ vocabulary instruction, which can be linked to their differing definitions of the concept of vocabulary teaching.

Observations indicate that students primarily choose to consult a dictionary or search online for the meaning of new words. Follow-up interviews suggest that students’ choice of strategies is influenced by the teaching they have received.

The study’s findings highlight the need for a clearer definition of vocabulary instruction within Swedish language education. There is also a need to specify explicit methods that best support the vocabulary development of all students. Furthermore, it is proposed that the curriculum elevate vocabulary to an independent learning objective in Swedish education for grades 4–6, enabling the measurement and assessment of students’ vocabulary development. Finally, the importance of deepening the teaching of vocabulary comprehension strategies is emphasized, with the goal of fostering independent learners capable of acquiring new words.