Contemporary Languages in High School : A study among high school students in the county of Jämtland, Sweden

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate what students in high school think of contemporary languages studies and to understand their motivation to continue or not continue with them. The work is relevant, as fewer students continue to study contemporary languages at high school, despite international globalization and society's need for people who speak more than one foreign language. The survey methodology is quantitative with some qualitative elements. Electronic surveys were sent to students in high school in the county of Jämtland in the north of Sweden. There were 226 respondents to the survey and in their answers I can appreciate that several of them think that it’s enough to speak English and are not interested in any other languages. However, more than half, 174 students in this study find the advantages and enjoy learning another language. The majority of those who don’t continue with their contemporary languages studies think that the burden of studies is too much. They think that the lessons or/and the teachers are not motivating, the expectations are too high and they don’t get the same support from the school as they get in other subjects. They feel that maybe the school should give better information and adapt the courses to the students, get better teachers, make the lessons easier and provide more help to the students in the contemporary languages area.