Slovene primary students’ perceptions of their plurilingual competencies

Kot navaja dokument Sveta Evrope Skupni evropski jezikovni okvir: učenje, poučevanje, ocenjevanje (SEJO, 2011), je eden izmed pomembnih ciljev obveznega izobraževanja, da bi vsak posameznik v največji možni meri razvil svojo raznojezično zmožnost. To lahko razvije, če ga obdaja spodbudno učno okolje za usvajanje različnih jezikov, v katerega so vpeti prav vsi učenci. V Sloveniji primanjkuje raziskav s področja raznojezičnosti, še posebej na osnovnošolski ravni. Zato nas zanima, katera znanja o jezikih in kulturi imajo osnovnošolci, katere spretnosti razvijajo, katera stališča o raznojezičnosti imajo, kako močno jih izražajo in kaj jih motivira za razvijanje raznojezične zmožnosti. Zanima nas tudi, kateri dejavniki so tisti, ki soustvarjajo podporno učno okolje za razvoj raznojezične zmožnosti. Podatke bomo pridobili s kvantitativno raziskavo, uporabili pa bomo anketni vprašalnik in lestvico stališč Likertovega tipa. V magistrskem delu smo proučevali raznojezično zmožnost slovenskih osnovnošolcev. Naš namen je bil v teoretičnem delu raziskati teoretično ozadje teme raziskovanja, značilnosti raznojezične zmožnosti in področja, ki jih zajema. Z opisniki znanj, stališč in spretnosti smo si v empiričnem delu pomagali določiti, katera znanja, spretnosti, stališča imajo učenci, kateri so najpogostejši motivirajoči dejavniki za učenje tujega jezika ter kateri so dejavniki podpornega učnega okolja. Zanimala nas je njihova samoocena lastne jezikovne kompetentnosti in ali se ta razlikuje glede na spol. V empiričnem delu smo rezultate pridobili s pomočjo anketnega vprašalnika. Pred začetkom raziskovanja smo si zastavili devet raziskovalnih vprašanj. Rezultati kažejo, da so osnovnošolci naklonjeni učenju tujih jezikov in da se zavedajo pomembnosti razvite raznojezične zmožnosti. Najpogostejši motivacijski dejavniki za učenje jezikov so vrstniki ter odpiranje novih socialnih in poklicnih poti. Ugotovitve kažejo, da so učenci z začetkom učenja tujega jezika v predšolskem obdobju najvišje izražali strinjanje s trditvami in najbolje ocenjevali svoje jezikovne spretnosti, znanje in kompetentnost. So tudi najbolj motivirani za učenje jezikov in najbolj naklonjeni razvijanju raznojezične zmožnosti. Stališča, ki jih največkrat zavzemajo anketirani, so v prid razvijanju večkulturne in raznojezične zmožnosti. Učenci se čutijo samozavestne pri uporabi tujih jezikov in vključevanju v večkulturno okolje, manj prepričani pa so v svoje metajezikovno znanje. Dejavniki, ki vplivajo na proces razvijanja raznojezične zmožnosti, so po njihovem mnenju šolska klima, kakovostna literatura in IKT pripomočki, kakovosten in predhodnemu znanju prilagojen pouk, vrstniki, dom (starši, sorodniki), učitelji tujega jezika in učitelji drugih jezikov.As stated in the Council of Europe\u27s document Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR, 2011), a major goal of compulsory education is for each individual to develop their multilingual skills as best as possible. The only way they can develop them is if they are surrounded by a stimulating learning environment for learning different languages that engages all the students. There is a lack of research into multilingualism in Slovenia, especially at the primary school level. For this reason, we wish to determine the knowledge of languages and culture that primary school students possesswhich skills they are developingwhat their opinions are on multilingualismhow strongly they express these opinionsand what motivates them to develop multilingual skills. We are also interested in the factors that co-create a supportive learning environment for the development of multilingual skills. The data will be obtained through quantitative research, using a survey questionnaire and a Likert-type attitude scale. The master\u27s thesis examines the multilingual skills of Slovenian primary school students. In the theoretical section, the purpose was to explore the background of the research topic, the characteristics of the multilingual ability, and the areas it covers. In the empirical section, descriptors of knowledge, opinions and skills were used to determine the knowledge, skills and opinions that the students possessthe most common motivating factors for learning a foreign languageand the factors of a supportive learning environment. We were interested in their self-assessment of their own linguistic competence and whether the assessments differ by gender. In the empirical section, the results were obtained by means of a survey questionnaire. Prior to conducting research, we posed nine research questions. The results show that primary school students are in favour of learning foreign languages and are aware of the importance of developing multilingual skills. The most common motivational factors for learning languages are their peers, and opening doors to new social prospects and career paths. The findings show that students who started learning foreign language in preschool age agreed the most with the statements and rated their linguistic skills, knowledge and competence the highest. They are also the most motivated for learning languages and the most in favour of developing multilingual skills. The opinions most often expressed by the respondents speak in favour of developing multicultural and multilingual skills. The students feel confident in speaking foreign languages and in entering a multicultural environmenthowever, they are less certain of their metalinguistic knowledge. In their opinion, the factors that influence the process of developing multilingual skills are: the school climatequality literature and ICT toolsquality lessons adapted to their prior knowledgetheir peerstheir home environment (parents, relatives)foreign language teachers and teachers of second languages