Open Access

Beate Janny, Margit Severa

• This article refers to an ongoing research project, FLAME (Foreign Language Aptitude & Motivation in English at Primary Schools). It discusses the teaching of foreign languages in primary school, the learning environment, particularly the creation of an open learning setting, the "resource corner" as a basis for self-determined and autonomous learning, the selection of materials, and the impact of motivation on pupils’ learning. Data obtained from guided interviews with the participating students were used to answer the following questions: How do students experience an open learning setting in the English classroom? How should English lessons be designed in a student-centered way to motivate students and enable individually effective and efficient language acquisition? Drawing on relevant literature and the outcomes of qualitative research, the study highlights the significance of an open learning environment and the availability of authentic learning materials, appropriate in terms of age and interest of the pupils, for motivation in the context of gifted and talented education. The results show that, although the open learning setting and the autonomy to choose authentic learning material used in a self-determined way are key factors for motivation in the context of gifted and talented education, it is necessary for professionals to employ scaffolding techniques to simultaneously achieve the desired language output. Effective scaffolding includes supportive interaction between teachers and learners, as well as interaction and support among learners of varying experience levels. Materials that arouse curiosity and follow a problem-solving approach not only enhance motivation but also keep pupils focused on achieving the desired language outputs. A student-centered approach to learning, which allows choosing material, space, time, and social interaction autonomously and enables learners to experience success due to self-efficacy, results in positive emotions and triggers motivation. The results encourage future research on task development in gifted and talented education, which includes motivational aspects as well as designing criteria that lead to effective foreign language acquisition in open learning environments.