See kõik on lihtsalt nii huvitav, kõik need käänded ja: Motiveeritud keeleõppijate kogemused

Abstract

https://doi.org/10.5128/LV35.05

Artikkel käsitleb keeleteadlike täiskasvanute kogemusi ja eelistusi eesti keele grammatika õppimisel. Uurimismaterjaliks on 12 poolstruktureeritud intervjuud informantidega, kellel on eesti keele õppimiseks suur sisemine motivatsioon ning kes on suhteliselt lühikese ajaga saavutanud kõrge eesti keele oskuse taseme. Kõik intervjueeritud olid materjali kogumise perioodil üliõpilase staatuses ning kõigi peaeriala oli seotud eesti keele või keeleteadusega. Intervjuudest selgub, et keeleteadlikud õppijad peavad grammatikat kui keele vundamenti oluliseks ning leiavad, et grammatika põhjalik tundmine laiendab eesti keele kasutusvõimalusi. Uurimuses osalejad eelistavad eksplitsiitset grammatikaõpet, tunnetavad vormidevaheliste seoste mõistmise vajalikkust ja peavad oluliseks grammatilist täpsust ning korrigeerivat tagasisidet. Materjal näitab, et informandid on teadlikud sellest, kuidas nad eelistavad eesti keele grammatikat õppida, neid iseloomustab oskus keele struktuuri ja enda keeleõppekogemust analüüsida ning valmisolek oma grammatikapädevust edasi arendada.

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The experiences and preferences of motivated language learners in studying Estonian grammar

The article examines the experiences and preferences of motivated and linguistically aware adult learners in studying Estonian grammar. This study draws on data from semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with 12 informants who demonstrated strong intrinsic motivation to learn Estonian and attained advanced proficiency in Estonian in a relatively brief timespan. All informants had begun learning Estonian while living abroad, either independently or at a foreign university, and later moved to Estonia to pursue more in-depth studies of the language at university level. Collectively, the informants represented nine different first languages or language combinations. At the time of the interviews (spring 2024), all participants were university students, with their main field of study related to Estonian or linguistics.

The aim of the article is to explore how motivated and linguistically aware learners perceive the role of grammar in learning Estonian, and how they prefer to study Estonian grammar. The interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis and directed coding.

The interviews indicate that the informants regard grammar as a crucial foundation for language proficiency and recognise that a thorough understanding of grammar enhances their ability to use Estonian effectively. The participants prefer explicit grammar instruction and express a desire to receive explanations about the formation and use of grammatical structures from teachers or other speakers of the language.

In the tradition of teaching Estonian – a morphologically rich language –educational materials typically highlight the basic forms of nouns and verbs and emphasise learning morphology through understanding relationships between forms. The informants in this study consider the acquisition of basic forms and the understanding of inter-form relationships to be beneficial, noting that knowing only a single form of a word would significantly restrict its use in communication. While grammar exercises are perceived as useful for learning, they are not always regarded as an enjoyable method.

As linguistically aware learners, the informants are able to compare aspects of Estonian grammar with those of other foreign languages they have studied, and they benefit from recognising cross-linguistic similarities. A characteristic learning strategy among these participants is their ability to closely observe the language in their surroundings, notice linguistic structures, analyse them, and relate them to their existing knowledge.

The interviews also reveal that most informants consider grammatical accuracy an important goal in learning Estonian and strive to use the language correctly. Only a few participants indicated that accuracy was not a priority for them. Corrective feedback plays a crucial role in achieving accuracy, and all informants value it – particularly written corrections provided by teachers.

The study demonstrates that the informants are aware of their preferred methods for learning Estonian grammar and possess the ability to analyse both language structures and their own language learning experiences.