The aim of this study explores how five experienced EFL teachers in Swedish upper secondary schools and adult education programmes manage the intersection of literary reading, critical thinking, and inclusion for newcomer immigrant students. Based on semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, the findings reveal that teachers reframe perceived differences in literary engagement not as student deficits, but as consequences of an opportunity gap rooted in unequal access to cultural capital and informal English exposure. Teachers adopt flexible, culturally responsive strategies, using literature as a “neutral ground” where English as a lingua franca can foster identity expression and inclusion. However, the Swedish curriculum’s goal‑oriented flexibility creates a paradox: while enabling pedagogical adaptation, it also produces inconsistent practices that depend heavily on individual teacher cognition and unpaid working time. Institutional barriers further constrain inclusive practice, including compressed schedules in adult education that reduce literature to functional language drills, and documentation gaps that deprive teachers of essential information about students’ prior educational habitus. The study proposes three systemic shifts: systematic documentation of literacy and educational histories across all school forms, structural scaffolding through shared digital resource banks, and paid collaborative time for relationship‑building and feedback. It concludes that without such structural reforms, Sweden’s equity goals cannot be realised, and the education debt owed to newcomer students will continue to be repaid through individual teacher goodwill rather than institutional responsibility.

Keywords: EFL teachers, newcomer immigrant students, literary reading, critical thinking, inclusion, upper secondary education, adult education, opportunity gap, English as a lingua franca, teacher cognition, curriculum flexibility, education debt.