Motivation in second language learning

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Motivation is often defined as a psychological trait which leads people to achieve a goal. For language learners, mastery of a language may be a goal. For others, communicative competence or even basic communication skills could be a goal. In linguistics, sociolinguistics and second language acquisition, a number of language learner motivation models have been postulated. Work by Gardner, Clément, Dörnyei, Usioda and McIntyre are perhaps most known if not all accepted.

Contents 1 Socio-Educational Models 1.1 Gardner's socio-educational model 1.2 Revised socio-education model 1.3 Role of motivation in language learning 1.4 Integrative Motivation from the Socio-Educational Model 2 Social psychological model 3 Process model 4 Ushioda 5 Willingness to communicate 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Socio-Educational Models

[edit] Gardner's socio-educational model

While Gardner (1982) identified a number of factors which are involved when learning a second language (L2), it was earlier work by Gardner and Lambert (1959) which laid the foundations for the model. Gardner (1982) attempts to interrelate four features of second language acquisition: the social and cultural milieu, individual learner differences, the setting and context. In Gardner's model, the most influential in second language acquisition are the four individual differences: intelligence, language aptitude, motivation, and situational anxiety.

[edit] Revised socio-education model

Gardner (2001) presents a schematic representation of this model. There are four sections, external influences, individual differences, language acquisition contexts, and outcomes. In the socio-educational model, motivation to learn the second language includes three elements. First, the motivated individual expends effort to learn the language. Second, the motivated individual wants to achieve a goal. Third, the motivated individual will enjoy the task of learning the language.

[edit] Role of motivation in language learning

Integrative Motivation: Cookes & Schmidt (1991) identified as the learner's orientation with regard to the goal of learning a second language. It means that learner's positive attitudes towards the target language group and the desire to integrate into the target language community. Instrumental Motivation: Hudson (2000) characterised the desire to obtain something practical or concrete from the study of a second language. Instrumental motivation underlies the goal to gain some social or economic reward through L2 achievement.

[edit] Integrative Motivation from the Socio-Educational Model

The one who is integratively motivated to learn the second language has a desire to identify with another language community, and tends to evaluate learning situation positively.

[edit] Social psychological model

Clément (1980)

[edit] Process model

Dörnyei (2001)

[edit] Ushioda

(2003)

[edit] Willingness to communicate

Main article: Willingness to communicate

[edit] See also

• Language learning
• Second language
• Second language acquisition

[edit] References

• Clément, R. (1980). Ethnicity, Contact and Communicative Competence in a Second Language in H. Giles, W.p. Robinson & P.M. Smith (Eds.) Language: Social psychological perspective. Toronto: Pergamon Press.
• Cookes, G., & Schmidt R. W. (1991). Motivation:Reopening the research agenda. Language Learning, 41(4), 469-512.
• Dörnyei, Z. (1994). Understanding L2 Motivation: On with the Challenge! The Modern Language Journal, 78, 515-523.
• Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Teaching and researching motivation. London: Longman. (pages 85-100, the 'Process Model').
• Gardner, R.C. (1982). Language attitudes and language learning. In E. Boudhard Ryan & H. Giles, Attitudes towards language bariation (pp. 132-147). Edward Arnold.
• Gardner, R.C. (2001). Language Learning Motivation: the Student, the Teacher, and the Researcher. Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education, 6, 1-18.
• Gardner, R.C. & Lambert, W.E. (1959). Motivational Variables in Second-Language Acquisition. Canadian Journal of Psychology 13: 266-272.
• Hudson, G. (2000). Essential introductory linguistics. Blackwell Publishers.
• MacIntyre, P.D., Clément, R., Dörnyei, Z., & Noels, K.A. (1998). Conceptualizing willingness to communicate in an L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. The Modern Language Journal, 82 (4), 545-562.
• Usioda, E. (2003). Motivation as a socially mediated process. In Little, D., Ridley, J. & Ushioda, E. (Eds), Learner autonomy in the foreign language classroom: Teacher, learner, curriculum and assessment (pp. 90-102). Dublin: Authentik.