Abstract This study explores the learner beliefs of 8-year-old children (n=21) from two Finnish primary schools. The paper focuses on learners’ beliefs about English outside school and the affordances for learning English the beliefs may imply. The data generated for this paper comprises group discussions held on the basis of participant-generated photo-elicitation. The data is analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study are two-fold. First, the beliefs learners hold about English reflect discourse and practices characteristic of school culture. Secondly, the learners believe English to be a relevant and accessible language for them. The findings indicate that for learners of as young an age as 8, English is not a neutral language. Instead, the learners in this study hold value-laden and societally flavored beliefs about English and its presence in their lives. The findings broaden and deepen understanding of young children’s linguistic landscape and their values within it. The findings have implications not only for language education in Finnish schools, but also raise questions on a systemic level about the role of English in the Finnish education system.
Karoliina Inha (Tue,) studied this question.