Search results for "Foreign language learning"

Interrelating agency, autonomy and identity in foreign language learning

2014

Foreign language (FL) learning is increasingly examined in terms of the language learning person’s agency, autonomy and identity. What agency refers to in FL learning and how it relates to autonomy and identity nevertheless remains unclear. As theoretical discussions about the interconnections are ambiguous, more empirical evidence is needed. The present article addresses this need, contributing to a fuller understanding of the three notions in FL education. The article explores one student’s FL learning in a general upper secondary school for adults (GUSSA), analysing her language narratives, which refer to her storied, FL related experiences. The findings suggest that agency can be concep…

Eighth-graders' attitudes towards studying English : A study of the effect of language choices and the differences between the genders

2009

 Asenteilla ja suhtautumisella on suuria vaikutuksia kielenoppimiseen, niin motivaation kuin yleisen innostuksenkin kannalta. Kieliasenteita on tutkittu paljon etenkin motivaation piirissä ja asenteiden vertailua on tehty esimerkiksi eri sukupuolten ja ikäryhmien välillä. On kuitenkin monia tekijöitä, joiden yhteydestä kieliasenteisiin ei ole paljon tietoa. Tämän tutkielman tarkoituksena oli selvittää millä tavoin pitkän valinnaisen kielen opiskelu vaikuttaa englannin kieleen suhtautumiseen kahdeksannella luokalla sekä millä tavoin nuo vaikutukset eroavat tyttöjen ja poikien välillä. Luonteeltaan kvantitatiivinen aineisto kerättiin kyselylomakkeen avulla yhteensä 45 kahdeksasluokkalaiselta.…

Foreign language learning difficulties and learning strategies : four cases

2008

Towards a fun and playful model for young children's foreign language learning

2017

This thesis proposes a model for young children's foreign language learning with a focus on fun and playfulness as well as emotional needs. The model is based on a wide range of literature on children's development, education, and foreign language learning specifically. Foreign language teachers are surveyed to discover their current practices. This data is analysed and compared to the proposed model. The study finds many teachers already follow many of the principles of the proposed model in their everyday practice. The use of fun activities as well as an awareness of learners' emotions are prevalent. Communication and technical aspects of language are also major themes common across teach…

Tinker, Tailor…: Creativity in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching

2018

The word creativity has recently won great popularity in numerous contexts, showing both positive (“creative writing”) and negative (“creative accounting”) connotations. The concept itself has many meanings as it may refer to the end product of one’s activity, the cognitive processes involved in the creative act, the personality of a creative person, the development of creativity across the life span, and also the factors that either stimulate or inhibit the process of creation (Łukasik, 2015; Simonton, 2000). There is also a distinction between exceptional creativity, manifesting itself in important works that are significant for a given society, and everyday creativity, which can be obser…

Treści realio- i kulturoznawcze a motywacja do nauki języka obcego

2016

Language is an integral part o f culture, alike the cultural elements constitute indissoluble part of the foreign language learning. It determines the perception of culture, as well as the reality of countries where the given language is used. An introductory part of the present paper is comprised of the theoretical framework; where the notion of culture, inter-culturalism, cultural & regional studies and motivation will be explained. The last of the mentioned concepts will be examined more thoroughly, sińce it is regarded as a success factor for learning. The attention will be concentrated on the so called internal and external motivation, as well as integrative and instrumental motivation…

Building self through foreign language learning : a case study of four adult language learners' emerging identities

2015

Oppiminen on vahvasti sidoksissa identiteettiin, sillä se voi saada aikaan muutoksen ihmisessä niin ajatuksen, toiminnan kuin tekojenkin tasolla. Vieraan kielen oppimista onkin verrattu uuden identiteetin omaksumiseen, sillä sen myötä oppijan käsitys itsestään muuttuu. Tarkempaa tietoa siitä, miten oppijat kokevat muuttuvansa ja millaisia identiteettejä heillä on kielen oppimisen myötä, löytyy kuitenkin hyvin vähän. Tämän lisäksi suurin osa kielen oppimisen ja identiteetin yhdistävistä tutkimuksista on tehty toisen kielen kontekstissa, jolloin kohderyhmänä ovat pääsääntöisesti olleet maahanmuuttajat, joiden vieraan kielen identiteetin muodostamiseen liittyy kuitenkin hyvin erilaisia prosess…

Koulun kahlitsemat - arjen selviytyjät : näkökulmia kielen oppimiseen

2003

This article discusses written narratives about foreign language learning. The stories were collected in a contest organised by KVS Foundation (Kansanvalistusseura), a Finnish organisation for adult education. Over 500 texts were sent for the contest, representing writers of both sexes, various language backgrounds and many professions. The age of writers varied from 8 to 80. In this article we discuss the nature of the data and the creation of a data base. Some preliminary observations are reported and a case study discussed. The relation between the academic and everyday views of language learning is also dealt with. peerReviewed

Investigating former pupils’ experiences and perceptions of CLIL in Finland: a retrospective analysis

2019

The educational approach known as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), in which content is taught partly through a foreign language, has gained great popularity in Europe in the past few decades. In Finland, CLIL has been in use since 1991 and, despite some fluctuations in its popularity, has gained a relatively stable place in the Finnish education system. CLIL has been extensively studied, but previous CLIL research has mostly focused on pupils currently enrolled in CLIL. This study takes a novel perspective by investigating CLIL retrospectively, through the eyes of former pupils. The data used are in-depth interviews with 24 former pupils who attended a CLIL class in Finland …

The Early Bird Gets The Word Games and Play: Creating a Context For Authentic Language Learning

2022

Early foreign language teaching has recently been made compulsory in Finland, making this an area open to development and innovation where policy - makers and teachers play a significant role in creating new kinds of learning environments, operating cultures, and pedagogy for foreign language learning. This article discusses the early foreign language learning landscape in the context of early foreign language learning theory, initial education pedagogy as well as functional foreign language learning. The cornerstone of this study is the Contextual Pedagogical approach to Learning, which creates a bridge between the theory and practice of early foreign language learning, creating an inspiri…