Motivation And Experience In Foreign Language Learning

Originally presented as the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Dublin, Trinity College.

Until now, there has been relatively little research on the links between motivation and learning experiences within the domain of language learning. This volume attempts to fill that gap. It explores the developmental processes of intrinsic motivation and of autonomy in foreign language learning and investigates the links between learners' educational experiences and ways in which such learners develop certain types of motivation. The book draws on various sources in educational psychology and philosophy, including Dewey, Vygotsky, Bruner, Deci, Ryan, and Weiner. The book conceptualises language learning motivation and offers an overview of motivation research, both in educational psychology and in language learning. The author reports on research findings from studies of qualitative or interpretative and quantitative approaches, whose participants were EFL Japanese university students, and offers proposals for helping learners to motivate themselves.

Motivation is a key aspect of second language learning. There is no doubt that abstract models are basic to gain theoretical insights into motivation; however, teachers and researchers demand comprehensible explanations for motivation that can help them to improve their everyday teaching and research. The aim of this book is to provide both theoretical insights and practical suggestions to improve motivation in the classroom. With this in mind, the book is divided into two sections: the first part includes innovative ideas regarding language learning motivation, whereas the second is focused on the relationship between different approaches to foreign language learning – such as EFL (English as a foreign language), CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) or immersion – and motivation. Both sections have an emphasis on pedagogical implications that are rooted in both theoretical and empirical work.

This book explores how complex systems theory can contribute to the understanding of classroom language learner motivation through an extended examination of one particular, situated research project. Working from the lived experience of the participants, the study describes how action research methods were used to explore the dynamic conditions operating in a foreign language classroom in Japan. The book draws attention to the highly personalised and individual, yet equally co-formed nature of classroom foreign language learning motivation and to the importance of agency and emotions in language learning. It presents an extended illustration of the applicability of complex systems theory for research design and process in SLA and its narrative approach shines light upon the evolving nature of research and role of the researcher. The study will be a valuable resource for practitioners, researchers and postgraduate students interested in classroom language teaching and learning, especially those with a focus on motivation among learners.

This book considers the strategies used by successful language learners, in the light of current thinking and research.

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3, http: //www.uni-jena.de/ (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Second Language Learning, language: English, abstract: "The limits of my language are the limits of my world." This quotation by Ludwig Wittgenstein, a famous philosopher of the 19th century, shows how important second language learning is in our modern society. Language is one of the main components of the society and culture of the people who speak it. People speaking different languages are important for the community in which they work and live, because they can connect different cultural groups. Besides this social factor, there is an economic need for multilingual people as well. Apart from the requirement of translators and interpreters, there are an increasing number of jobs where people are required to interact with people from foreign countries. The ability of communicating in two or more language can be an essential reason for getting your dream job. Another advantage of speaking different languages is that it makes travelling much easier and gives you the opportunity of maintaining friendships with people from all over the world. Nowadays most children start learning a second and even a third language when they are still very young. Mostly they are not aware of the benefits of speaking different languages for their later lives. They simply learn it because it is in the curriculum of their school, which is designed for the needs of society rather than for the learner's interests. This does not seem like a good point of departure for a successful learning process. So it is the teacher's major challenge to motivate the students to put effort in learning the foreign language. But how does motivation influence second language learning? This paper will define motivation and introduce different motivation theories. Then it will discuss the influences of motivation on second language learni

This textbook offers an introductory overview of eight hotly-debated topics in second language acquisition research. It offers a glimpse of how SLA researchers have tried to answer common questions about second language acquisition rather than being a comprehensive introduction to SLA research. Each chapter comprises an introductory discussion of the issues involved and suggestions for further reading and study. The reader is asked to consider the issues based on their own experiences, thus allowing them to compare their own intuitions and experiences with established research findings and gain an understanding of methodology. The topics are treated independently so that they can be read in any order that interests the reader.

This book is informed by pupils' perceptions of the foreign language learning experience: attitudes brought from primary school; from home; visits abroad; the classroom. What are the implications of these for teachers? The author provides practical strategies to enhance (a) the enjoyment of the in-class experience and (b) the status of modern languages on the curriculum.