Abstract
During recent years, language learner beliefs have increasingly been studied through qualitative, learner-centred methods, and the development and dynamics of language learner beliefs have been brought into focus. This paper analyses the development and complexity of beliefs expressed by three university students of Danish as a foreign language in Switzerland. A qualitative method inspired by Grounded Theory is employed and proves to be fruitful for pinpointing the dynamics and complexities of the beliefs. Data are collected through written protocols in German and Danish. The data collection phase stretches over nearly a year and a half, which facilitates a detailed exploration of temporal changes in the beliefs expressed by the study participants.
Highlights
The field of language learner beliefs research has been dominated by quantitative, researchercentred approaches, but within the last decade, a number of scholars have become increasingly interested in qualitative, learner-centred approaches to learner beliefs
Grounded Theory is a qualitative method of analysis, helping the researcher build theory grounded in data (Corbin/Strauss 2008; Glaser/Strauss 1999 [1967])
From my description of the learner beliefs expressed by students B009, B013, and B020, who are representative of the student group, it is clear that learner beliefs are not stable
Summary
The field of language learner beliefs research has been dominated by quantitative, researchercentred approaches, but within the last decade, a number of scholars have become increasingly interested in qualitative, learner-centred approaches to learner beliefs. Examples of this relatively new approach can be found in a collection of papers edited by Kalaja/Barcelos (2003) and in a special issue of System edited by Barcelos/Kalaja (2011). Barcelos/Kalaja (2011: 285) notice a move from second language to foreign language contexts within learner belief studies These new tendencies match my study, which investigates learner beliefs qualitatively by means of a learner-centred approach, and focusses on the dynamic nature of beliefs within a foreign language learner context.
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