A Cross-Cultural Study of the Motivation of Students Learning a Second Language (original) (raw)
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Motivational and cultural correlates of second language acquisition
Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 2008
The present study investigates the relationships among motivational factors, cultural correlates and second language proficiency. The participants, from both Western and Asian backgrounds, were learning Chinese at university level in the People’s Republic of China. 115 students (35 Western students and 80 Asian students) ranging from beginning to advanced levels of proficiency were surveyed. The results of the study indicated that the degree of integrativeness into Chinese culture and motivation was significantly and positively related to Chinese language proficiency, while language anxiety was significantly and negatively correlated to such proficiency. However instrumental orientation was found to have no statistically significant relationship with such proficiency. Multiple regression analysis indicated that integrativeness and gender were major variables predicting Chinese language proficiency. Significant differences between Western and Asian student groups were found in terms ...
Analysis of English Majors' Motivation Types Towards Second Foreign-Language Learning
The 2019 CNU International Conference on English Teaching and Learning, Tainan, Taiwan., 2019
The aim of this study is to explore EFL English majors' motivation towards second foreign-language learning. The participants comprised 83 EFL English majors who took one or two second foreign-language courses (Japanese and French) offered at the department of applied foreign languages of a university in Taiwan. A survey was conducted to investigate the participants' motivation types and reasons. Results show that 22% (Japanese) and 30% (French) of one second-foreign language course takers were integratively motivated respectively. However, 29% (Japanese) and 12% (French) of them were instrumentally motivated respectively. In terms of integrative motivation, both Japanese and French attracted similar numbers of the students. In terms of instrumental motivation, the number of the students interested in Japanese doubled that of the students interested in French. The students who possessed blended types of motivation towards Japanese were 4%, compared with 1% in French. Only 1% of them were respectively identified no specific motivation towards Japanese and French. As for two second-foreign language course takers, 4% of the students were integratively-motivated towards Japanese; none, French. Towards Japanese, 2% of them were instrumentally-motivated; 1%, French. Such results were analyzed from the perspectives of culture, society, and work market. These findings provide some implications to language instructors and language program planners. Understanding motivation backgrounds can better plan second foreign-language courses in the language program as well as adopting useful language mateirals and activities in the course. Ultimately, learners can achieve individual goals in second foreign-language learning.
TESOL Journal, 2010
The main purpose of this research is to determine the extent of which motivation differentiates foreign language (FL) learners. The secondary purpose of this study is to compare motivation of Filipino FL learners using the Foreign Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire and to investigate whether age group, sex, FL being learned and length of studying of FL could influence differentiation in the motivation of FL learning among Filipino students. Thus, it was hypothesized that the variables included in this study could differentiate motivation of FL learners. The participants of this study were 150 students who had elected to study foreign languages from three universities in Metro Manila. Eighty of the participants are females (53.3%), while 70 are males (46.7%). Data were cross-sectional in nature with 26 learning Chinese (17.3%), 40 learning French (26.7%), 50 learning Japanese (33.3%) and 34 learning Spanish (22.7%). Results show that younger learners motivational orientation is towards cultural understanding, cultural integration and self-satisfaction. Females are more motivationally oriented than males towards communication and affiliation and self-efficacy. Japanese language learners are more motivationally oriented towards career and economic enhancement, French language learners towards affiliation with foreigners, and Spanish language learners towards self-efficacy. The study recommends some instructional and pedagogical strategies for teaching foreign languages.
papers.ssrn.com
The primary purpose of this study is to find out the degree of which motivational orientation differentiates learners in a foreign language (FL) learning context, particularly in the Philippines. The secondary purpose of this study is to determine differences in the motivational orientation of Filipino FL learners using the Foreign Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire and to investigate variables such as age group, gender, FL being learned and length of study of FL could influence differentiation in the motivational orientation of FL learning among Filipino students. Accordingly, it was hypothesized that the variables included in this study could differentiate motivational orientation of FL learners. The participants of this study included 150 students who had elected to study FL from three major universities in Metro Manila. Eighty of the participants are females (53.3%), while 70 are males (46.7%). The data were cross- sectional in nature with 26 learning Chinese (17.3%), 40 learning French (26.7%), 50 learning Japanese (33.3%) and 34 learning Spanish (22.7%). Results revealed motivational differences between younger and older FL learners, between male and female learners, and among learners of different FL. Younger learners were found to be more motivated towards cultural understanding, cultural integration and self-satisfaction. Females are more motivationally oriented than males in communication and affiliation and self-efficacy. Japanese language learners are more motivationally oriented toward career and economic enhancement, French language learners towards affiliation with foreigners, and Spanish language learners towards self-efficacy. The study recommends some instructional and pedagogical strategies for teaching language subjects.
Conceptual and Psychometric Properties of a Foreign Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire
Philippine Journal of Psychology, 2008
This paper investigates the conceptual and psychometric properties of an instrument that measures the foreign language motivation of Filipino learners. The results of this study suggest that there are six factors that compose the motivation orientation of Filipino learners. The factors identified in the questionnaire have the psychometric properties of internal consistency and construct validity. Some further validation, modifications and improvements are also suggested.
2018
This study examined the role of motivation types in predicting the use of language learning strategies by English major students at the University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS). A questionnaire was employed to collect information from 123 students. The first section of the questionnaire was about how often the students used strategies in learning English, and the second one collected information about the participants’ levels of four motivation types. The results indicated that all the strategies were used by the majority of the respondents, and among four types of motivation, their instrumental motivation was of the highest level. Importantly, the study disclosed a significant and positive correlation between motivation and language learning strategy use. Finally, going beyond the correlational analysis already observed in many other studies, this study utilized regression analysis which then helped unveil significant contributions of integrative and intrinsic motivation to strategy use. Helpful implication can be drawn from this study.
Construction and Validation of a Questionnaire on Language Learning Motivation
This article describes the steps and phases involved in constructing a questionnaire on the motivation to learn a second or foreign language (or L2 motivation). It evaluates psychometric properties of the instrument by performing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Participants in this study were 194 students. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that four dimensions formed the construct of L2 motivation, namely Instrumental orientation, Integrative orientation, Commitment and Effort. The findings from a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis validated the four-dimensional structure. The conclusions reached by this study as well as the steps and phases involved in the development of research instrument on L2 motivation could be informative for educators interested in issues related to language learning motivation and useful for future scholarly investigations of L2 motivation.
Language Learning in Higher Education, 2018
Since the 1990s, many researchers in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have become focused on second/foreign language learners' motivation to learn a language, and the role in motivation in determining future success. However, much of the research agenda has revolved around the acquisition of English as an Additional Language, and target languages other than English have been under-researched. This paper reports on a survey study designed to investigate the motivation of 84 beginner learners of Japanese learning the language in a university language centre evening programme. Examining the relationship between learners' intended effort and six motivational orientations commonly used in SLA motivational studies using multiple linear regression, this study found that integrativeness was the only variable that contributed to learning motivation. This finding is distinct contrast to studies focused on English learning where the ideal L2 self has often been found to be the best predictor of motivation. While it is far from sufficient to draw a conclusion that Japanese learning motivation is different from that of English by one single study, the current study does point to the key role of cultural identification in second/foreign language motivation, consistent with a small group of other motivational studies conducted in the context of Languages Other than English (LOTEs).
Innoeduca. International Journal of Technology and Educational Innovation
La presente investigación forma parte del trabajo de tesis doctoral “Factores que afectan la motivación para el aprendizaje de los alumnos en las clases de inglés a nivel superior”, en el marco del Doctorado en Ciencias en Educación Agrícola Superior que se imparte en la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, México. Tiene como objetivo realizar un diagnóstico inicial de la motivación de los estudiantes de inglés como segunda lengua en la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, UAEM Texcoco. Dicho diagnóstico será el punto de partida que permita con base en las características de los alumnos diseñar un cuestionario adaptado al contexto de una universidad mexicana, haciendo uso de las variables del cuestionario AMTB (Test de Actitud y Motivación), de R C Gardner, que se adecuen al contexto de los estudiantes de la UAEM identificar los principales factores que afectan el aprendizaje de L2 de los estudiantes. Los resultados muestran que los alumnos manifiestan sentirse motivados por activid...