Follow up study on students’ perceptions towards foreign language learning by young learners across Europe

Abstract

This study investigated students’ perceptions towards foreign language1 (FL) learning held by young foreign language learners from seven different countries in Europe. The participants (n=264) consisted of grade 4 students (ages 9-10) who were studying English, French or Spanish (E/F/S) as a second language in a school context. In addition to the analysis of year 4 students’ answers, a follow up comparison between responses from the same students in year 2 and 4 was performed. Six main results emerge from the analysis of data from year 4 students. First, young learners tend to be motivated to learn a FL and there is a non significant tendency for girls to show more positive motivation towards FL. Second, young students main reasons’ mentioned for liking the FL are that they learn new things, the activities and that it is fun. Only 15% of the responses were reasons for disliking learning a second language. Third, primary students have modest self-perceptions of their process of FL learning. Fourth, some significant differences between countries arose regarding student’s mentioning or not E/F/S as their favourite subject, concerning children responses’ to liking the FL, and for student’s choices of classroom layout as well. Fifth, the majority of young learners seem to prefer a traditional classroom in order to learn second languages. Sixth, the more common reasons for choosing one specific layout were student engagement, sitting with classmates or interacting and discipline and classroom climate...