Abstract
This article presents the findings of an innovative qualitative study involving one CLIL (content and language integrated learning) student and one student in a parallel, non-CLIL strand at high school level in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in students’ beliefs about language. The success of second (L2) and foreign language (FL) learning depends to a large degree on individual differences (Dörnyei, 2005; Skehan, 1991). Differences are normally elicited through questionnaires, interviews, and/or observations. In the present study, the aim was to get direct access to the informants’ own perspectives, without the content being too directed through predetermined questions. In this study, students were asked to take photos illustrating how they view (a) their L1 (Swedish), and (b) the FL/L2 English. Then the photos were thematically organized by the researcher. Subsequently, the thematic organization and the photos themselves were discussed with each of the informants during an inter iew. The informants were asked to elaborate on each theme and/or picture as to why and how it illustrates the respective language for them. The findings reveal substantial differences between the two informants in their views on their L1 and FL/L2, with the CLIL student highlighting communication rather than seeing the two languages as separate systems, and the non-CLIL student seeing language rather the other way around.
Highlights
Dörnyei (2005) identifies creativity, willingness to communicate, aptitude, motivation, self-esteem, language learning styles and strategies, personality traits, anxiety, and learner beliefs as the most salient individual differences (IDs) to take into account when trying to understand the process of second (L2) and foreign language (FL) learning
As we know very little about learner beliefs in connection with Content and language integrated learning (CLIL), the present study aims at investigating any possible differences in students’ views on language by using a qualitative approach involving one CLIL student and one student in a parallel, non-CLIL strand in upper secondary school in Sweden
English is encountered to a great extent outside of school in everyday life, and there is an ongoing debate whether English should be regarded as a second rather than a foreign language (Hyltenstam, 2004; Viberg, 2000)
Summary
The role of individual differences (IDs) in language learning has been recognized for a long time. Dörnyei (2005) identifies creativity, willingness to communicate, aptitude, motivation, self-esteem, language learning styles and strategies, personality traits, anxiety, and learner beliefs as the most salient IDs to take into account when trying to understand the process of second (L2) and foreign language (FL) learning. The growing interest in learner beliefs in the area of language learning is evidenced, among other things, in the increasing number of publications taking into account both teacher and learner (Barcelos & Kalaja, 2011; Ellis, 2008; Ferreira Barcelos & Kalaja, 2013; Kalaja, Menezes, & Barcelos, 2008; see Barcelos, this volume). All these studies add pieces to the patchwork of understanding the importance of learner beliefs, what they are, how they interact with other IDs and factors relevant for language learning, and how best to deal with them. The present study aims at filling a gap in this field of research, namely, how FL/L2 learners perceive their first language (L1) and their FL/L2 (in this context English) through the camera lens
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