Journal Article

Plurilingualism in Europe: Exploring Attitudes Toward English and Other European Languages Among Adolescents in Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain

BUSSE, VERA

2017

Overview

This article explores adolescent students' attitudes toward learning English and other European languages studied at secondary school. The study is based on 2255 qualitative responses to a survey conducted in Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. The data reveal that, although differences between countries shape the experience of foreign language learning in different ways, students in all four countries are highly aware of the global status of English. This can be a positive stimulus for students' attitudes toward English but it can also negatively affect their attitudes toward learning other languages, as these can be perceived as less valuable. While perceived societal importance can differ from personal relevance and while identity issues, ability beliefs, contextual factors on the school and classroom level, as well as social-relational contexts (especially the relationship to the teacher) also play a role in shaping students' attitudes, the data demonstrate that macro-contextual factors exert considerable influence. They also suggest that more attention must be paid to stimulating positive attitudes toward language diversity and to fostering plurilingual aspirations in young Europeans. (Verlag).

• Publisher: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Adolescents / Aspiration / Attitudes / Beliefs / Bulgarien / Classrooms / Deutschland / Einstellung (Psy) / Empirische Forschung / English / English language / Erwachsener / European languages / Foreign languages / ideal L2 self / ideal plurilingual Bildungs‐Selbst / L2 motivation / Language acquisition / Language Attitudes / Language diversity / Languages / Learning / Mehrsprachigkeit / Multilingualism / Niederlande / Quantitative Forschung / Relevance / Second Language Learning / Secondary Schools / Spanien / Stimulus / Student attitudes / Student teacher relationship / Students