On the basis of recent studies, language teaching has educational, cultural, and social objectives. The purpose of this study was firstly to investigate whether the new objectives of foreign language learning and teaching are put into effect, and secondly to examine what kind of learning environments teachers create. The main research data consisted of essays and journal entries written by 11 foreign language teachers. It was possible to identify 3 kinds of discourses concerning the aims and goals of foreign language teaching. The objective of foreign language teaching was learning the language as a system (discourse 1), using the language in a social context and encountering otherness (discourse 2), and regarding the language as a means to support pupils' growth and development as human beings (discourse 3). These discourses provide the basis for the characterization of the language learning environment.