Browsing by Subject "S2-oppilas"

Objectives. Self-efficacy, which means one’s beliefs about their own capabilities, has a key role in motivation and performance. Therefore, it also plays an important role in language learning. There is very little research about the Finnish self-efficacy of Finnish as a second language (FSL) learners. The aim of this study was to find out if sex, age, length of residence and reading fluency of FSL learners predict their Finnish self-efficacy. In addition, the aim was to find out how the Finnish self-efficacy differ when it comes to abstract and concrete questions. Moreover, the aim was to find out if Finnish self-efficacy measured on one hand on abstract level and on the other hand on concrete level predict reading fluency of FSL learners. Methods. The data was collected with an electrical questionnaire as a part of Kielellisten taitojen ja lukemisen tukeminen -research project realised by Niilo Mäki Instituutti during spring 2016. The participants (N = 67) of this research were 9-12-year-old FSL learners from grades 3 to 5. The participants were from different parts of Finland. Regression analysis was used to find out if age, sex, length of residence and reading fluency of FSL learners predict their Finnish self-efficacy. Paired sample t-test was used to examine the mean differences between Finnish self-efficacy measured on abstract and on concrete level. Lastly, regression analysis was used to find out if Finnish self-efficacy measured on abstract and on concrete level predict reading fluency of FSL learners. Results and conclusions. The length of residence predicted self-efficacy in reading comprehension and in writing. FSL learners estimated their Finnish self-efficacy higher on abstract level than on concrete level. The means of abstract self-efficacy and concrete self-efficacy differed from each other statistically significantly. Finnish self-efficacy measured on abstract level didn’t predict reading fluency, whereas Finnish self-efficacy measured on concrete level did predict reading fluency. The results of this research show that the time spent in a country and its culture plays an important role in Finnish self-efficacy. In addition, the results show that when measuring language self-efficacy, it is important to consider the specificity level on which it will be measured.