”Muutakin pitäisi olla kun sitä samaa hiuksenharmaata”: Opiskelijoiden kokemuksia ja toiveita vieraiden kielten opetuksesta lukiossa

Not just the same old, same old: Students’ experiences of and wishes for teaching foreign languages at upper secondary school

Authors

• Karoliina Inha University of Jyväskylä
• Outi Veivo University of Turku
• Katja Mäntylä University of Jyväskylä
• Jaana Toomar University of Jyväskylä

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30660/afinla.143693

Keywords:

general upper secondary school, students, language learning

Abstract

This article reports on how first- and second-year students experience language teaching in general upper secondary school and what they would like to see improved. A total of 22 students from four different locations were interviewed during spring and autumn 2022. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were used for data gathering. The data were analysed through content analysis. The results suggest that the current learning environment and teaching methods do not always motivate students to study additional languages. Students referred to the fast pace of teaching, lack of individual support, and assessment practices as factors that hindered their learning. In addition, the students did not see the objectives and content of language teaching relevant. The students expressed a desire for more varied teaching methods, more spoken language practice, and for attaining a sense of being able to cope in everyday life with the language skills learned in school.