A1 Journal article (refereed)
“Words are repeated in your mind and then you remember” : Young learners’ beliefs about learning English at the beginning of Finnish basic education (2025)

Inha, K. (2025). “Words are repeated in your mind and then you remember” : Young learners’ beliefs about learning English at the beginning of Finnish basic education. System, 130, Article 103612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103612

JYU authors or editors

Inha, Karoliina

Publication details

All authors or editors: Inha, Karoliina

Journal or series: System

ISSN: 0346-251X

eISSN: 1879-3282

Publication year: 2025

Publication date: 31/01/2025

Volume: 130

Article number: 103612

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103612

Publication open access: Other way freely accessible online

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/100080

Abstract

This article presents a study that aims to shed light on how beliefs about learning English are manifested in the reflections of young learners of English at the beginning of formal language teaching in grade 1 of primary school in Finland. Beliefs are studied in light of the contextual approaches by conducting a thematic analysis of group discussions held with young learners of English (n=39) in grade 1 at age 7. Two themes were found in this study: 1) Learning English is remembering words and 2) Learning English is possible outside school. Above all, the findings suggest that young learners’ beliefs about language learning are shaped early on by learning experiences in and outside of school. The study contributes to the yet rather sparse number of studies exploring Finnish young learners of English and provides insight into how pedagogy employed at the beginning of formal language teaching could be developed to better respond to learners’ emerging beliefs about themselves as language learners.

Keywords: languages; learning; language teaching; language learning

Free keywords: learner beliefs; early language teaching; young English language learners; contextual approaches

Fields of science:

6121 Languages (612 Languages and Literature)

Contributing organizations

JYU units:

Centre for Applied Language Studies

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2025

Preliminary JUFO rating: 2

Follow-up groups:

Language Campus (Finnish Institute for Educational Research KTL) (Teacher Training School NORSSI) (Department of Language and Communication Studies KIVI) (Centre for Applied Language Studies SOLKI) (Department of Teacher Education OKL) (Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication Movi)

A1 Journal article (refereed)“Words are repeated in your mind and then you remember” : Young learners’ beliefs about learning English at the beginning of Finnish basic education (2025)

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

Abstract

Contributing organizations

A1 Journal article (refereed)
“Words are repeated in your mind and then you remember” : Young learners’ beliefs about learning English at the beginning of Finnish basic education (2025)