On motivating children to learn a host language

• Children immigrating to Sweden are not motivated to learn the host language Swedish and learn English instead. We gathered information on what positively or negatively affects children’s motivation to learn Swedish to develop a “motivation-intervention” in collaboration with early-childhood teachers. Previous intervention studies of children’s motivation typically focus on learning a foreign language in school (García & Pérez-Llantada, 2015). We need to gain a better understanding of the effects of motivational interventions on particularly immigrant children learning a host language in early childhood. Our interventions are based in the theory of self-determination and included but were not limited to activities such as goal setting, self-reflection, and self-evaluation, that previously showed positive effects on students' motivation and attitudes towards learning a foreign language (Dörnyei & Csizér, 1998; MacIntyre & Noels, 1994). Early-childhood teachers answered a questionnaire focusing on children's motivation to learn Swedish and factors affecting this motivation. Development of interventions were based on the results from this questionnaire. To reduce the concern that not all children have access to the effective intervention we will invite childcare personnel in the area to a presentation and discussion of results. The main finding was the importance of the caregivers as role models. If they acquired Swedish, and found the language acquisition important for their children, children would be more motivated and would also attend childcare more frequently. Including teachers into the development of interventions led to relevant interventions that easily can be integrated with the regular curriculum in contrast to intense researcher-implemented interventions. 

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Jämförande språkvetenskap och allmän lingvistik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Language Studies and Linguistics (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Lärande (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Learning (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Second language acquisition

immigrant children

low SES

motivation

intervention

Svenska som andraspråk

Swedish as a Second Language

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)