Nordic Journal of Language Teaching and Learning

Multilingualism in English textbooks in Austria, Norway and Spain

Christian Carlsen — 2024-03-06

This study analyses to what extent English textbooks from three European countries, Austria, Norway and Spain, reflect curriculum aims about multilingualism in national curricula and educational research on multilingualism more broadly. Six textbooks for lower secondary school were analysed focusing on texts and tasks that encourage students to make use of and reflect on their language repertoire. Findings from the textbook analysis show that the students’ language repertoires are in most cases ignored and only one of the six textbooks analysed contains any tasks that invite students to make use of their whole language repertoire. None of the textbooks contain texts or tasks concerning attitudes towards languages or multilingualism as a resource. The article calls for greater attention among textbook developers to curricular aims and current educational research concerning multilingualism. This is a precondition for textbooks to fulfil the desired function as agents of change promoting key pedagogical developments.

Acquisition of L3 French: The impact of (non-)correspondence of word order in previously acquired languages

Sunniva Strætkvern — 2024-03-11

The current study investigates the acquisition of finite verb placement in L3 French in L1 Norwegian L2 English speakers at university level. We investigate how the (non-)correspondence in surface structure in speakers’ previously acquired languages affects the acquisition of verb placement in specific structures in the L3. Previous research has found that learners performed better with non-subject-initial main clauses (where their L2 English had a corresponding structure) than with subject-initial main clauses with adverbs (where their L1 Norwegian displayed corresponding surface structure) (Listhaug et al., 2021). In the current study, we investigate these same structures, in addition to relative clauses with adverbs, where neither Norwegian nor English surface structure corresponds to French. We expected learners to perform worse on this structure due to two factors: 1) non-correspondence in surface structure in both previously acquired languages, and 2) costliness of verb movement. Participants completed an acceptability judgment task in English and French. Our results show that learners performed better with non-subject-initial main clauses than with the other two structures, where they accepted target and non-target word order to the same degree. No preference for non-movement of the verb in relative clauses emerged. Our results indicate that English acts as the main transfer source in this particular language combination. We propose that our results are best accounted for by property-by-property models, and we argue that decisive factors are typological similarity between the L2 and L3, as well as cognitive economy in terms of verb movement.

(Dis)Engagement and Usefulness:

Elin Ericsson — 2024-03-26

This study explored Swedish lower-secondary students’ (N=41) experiences of practicing German speaking skills with filmed native speakers in a low-immersive virtual 360° environment. The students practiced dialogues in everyday-life scenarios, performing authentic tasks such as ordering in a restaurant. We employed various methods to produce data on students’ self-reported experiences related to their speaking activity in order to gain a nuanced understanding of this way of practicing speaking. The data was gathered through logbooks, questionnaires, and interviews, which covered various aspects of the students’ speaking activity. The twofold analysis consists of descriptive statistics on post-trial ratings, and thematic analysis based on the qualitative data. The findings show that the students mostly rated the overall experience as fun and easy. They estimated that they had developed their German speaking skills through practicing pronunciation and dialogue and felt better prepared for speaking. We show that some students felt disengaged even when participating in immersive simulations. There were individual differences regarding sustained engagement and experienced usefulness of the system, mostly linked to technical and contextual issues, being interrupted, misunderstood, feeling uneasy, or finding the speaking activity monotonous, too easy, or too hard. The study found that students sometimes completed dialogues without understanding the meaning of the words. We thus conclude with the need for pedagogical guidance and framing to embed this type of speaking activity in classroom practice.

“English is a language that almost everybody will know or should know:”

Signe Hannibal Jensen — 2024-04-18

The present study explores young children’s experiences with and perceptions of English in their personal lives in a traditional EFL context. Twenty-one Danish children (between the age of 8-12) participated in the study. A multimodal emic approach was employed using language portraits and interviews. As the only language besides Danish (L1), English figured in all portraits thus illustrating the great importance placed on English by all children, recognizing its status as a global language. However, the participating children experienced and viewed English very differently. Findings of the present study ranged from perspectives where learning and using English was found to be frustrating and difficult, to bilingual perspectives where English was engaged with more or just as much as the first language (Danish). This confirmed arguments that to some English is still a foreign language in traditional EFL contexts. Some implications were connected to this. It seems key that teachers become familiar with the extramural English interest of their students as well as their learning trajectories. This way they will be better able to differentiate their teaching (Sylvén, 2022). Moreover, more longitudinal research is needed to provide insights into children's perceptions of global English and the factors that affect this.