Three decades of EFL writing: Examining curriculum change in the Finnish National Core Curricula for Basic Education of 1994, 2004 and 2014

Abstract Curriculum reforms are a way to develop the school context to meet changes in society, working life and technology. Applying qualitative content analysis, this study examined how the objectives, core contents and assessment criteria of English as the first foreign language (A1 English) have changed in the curriculum reforms of the Finnish National Core Curricula for Basic Education (NCC) of 1994, 2004 and 2014. This study also examined how multiliteracy is reflected in the subject matter of A1 English in the 2014 NCC. The focus was on English as a foreign language (EFL) writing and written text production. The results show that the descriptions of EFL writing have become vaguer and EFL writing has not evolved in accordance with the reforms. Moreover, the role of multiliteracy in the A1 English subject matter of the 2014 NCC is minimal and does not seem to prepare learners for future literacy practices.