Teachers’ perceptions of multilingual and language-aware practices in foreign language education in Finland

This study examines teachers’ perceptions of multilingual and language-aware practices in foreign language education in Finland. The Finnish national core curricula at various educational levels recognise the vital role of multilingual and language-aware pedagogical approaches in advancing social justice by promoting equal learning opportunities for all students, and enhancing versatile language skills that are essential for communication in a globalised world. As teachers are important language policy implementers and their views affect the way they interpret and implement these policies, it is important to examine their perceptions. The data used in this study comprise a survey (n = 550) and focus group interviews of foreign language teachers (n = 20) from primary to adult education. The datasets were analysed using both descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis. The findings show that many teachers believed that multilingual and language aware practices, such as cross-linguistic comparison and attention to linguistic form and function, were beneficial in enhancing their students’ learning. However, teachers expressed uncertainty about the implementation of truly inclusive multilingual practices. This suggests a need for more systematic support for teachers through tailored training and the provision of ready-to-use pedagogical materials.