Learner Perceptions of Demotivators in the EFL Classroom : Conceptual Framework and Scale Development

Abstract

Grounded in social cognitive theory and expectancy-value theory, the current study aimed to present a demotivation scale -Learner Perceptions of Demotivators Scale (LPDS)designed specifically for use in L2 research and tested empirically to provide evidence of its construct, validity, and reliability. Study 1 sample consisted of 295 Chinese college English learners. An exploratory factor analysis offered preliminary support for a factor structure comprising three dimensions: negative teacher behavior, loss of task value, and low expectancy for success. Study 2 sample consisted of another 320 Chinese college English learners. The proposed factor structure was further corroborated through confirmatory factor analysis, and support for its validity was provided by means of correlating the three dimensions with academic performance and self-efficacy measures. Specifically, all the correlations were negative except for the positive association between academic performance and negative teacher behavior. Further, whereas the model fit confirmed a well-fitting second-order model, one low first-order loading (negative teacher behavior) does not seem to support a second-order factor model. Therefore, the three dimensions should be regarded as separate to best capture the nuances of different demotivators. By establishing a nomological network (demotivation, academic performance, and self-efficacy), the current study illuminates selected aspects of ESL pedagogy.

Analyzing EFL learners’ demotivating factors in blended learning context

“…In other words, these four factors are perceived as strong demotivating factors by Chinese EFL college students in blended learning environment. This finding lend support to many previous studies which showed factors related to learning environment (Gorham and Christophel, 1992;Christophel and Gorham, 1995;Gorham and Millette, 1997;Zhang, 2007;Sakai and Kikuchi, 2009;Kikuchi, 2011;Krishnan and Pathan, 2013;Xie et al, 2018;Adara et al, 2021;Xie et al, 2021;Huwari et al, 2023), teachers (Gorham and Christophel, 1992;Christophel and Gorham, 1995;Gorham and Millette, 1997;Zhang, 2007;Katt and Condly, 2009;Kikuchi and Sakai, 2009;Krishnan and Pathan, 2013;Xie et al, 2018;Adara et al, 2021;Xie et al, 2021;Huwari et al, 2023), intrinsic motivation (Gorham and Christophel, 1992;Christophel and Gorham, 1995;Gorham and Millette, 1997;Zhang, 2007;Sakai and Kikuchi, 2009;Kikuchi, 2011;Krishnan and Pathan, 2013;Çankaya, 2018;Xie et al, 2018Xie et al, , 2021 are strong demotivating factors. However, the mean score of Loss of Task Value factor is the lowest (1.87).…”

“…Thus, although this factor (factor 2) was extracted as a demotivating factor, the majority of the participants (82.2%) did not consider it to be demotivating. This factor was borrowed from Xie's research (Xie et al, 2018(Xie et al, , 2021, however, results from this paper show that most participants did not consider it as demotivating. In other words, most participants believe English and learning English are of great value, which could be supported by the fact that more than 1.35 billion people around the world speak English and about 360 million people speak English as their first language, and English is the most commonly spoken and studied foreign language in the world (Lyons, 2021).…”

“…The questionnaire (see Appendix A), adapted from Kikuchi's demotivation questionnaire (Kikuchi, 2015) and LPDS (Learner Perceptions of Demotivator Scale; Xie et al, 2021), consisted of 34 4-point Likert type items about learners' demotivation in a blended EFL learning environment. These items were designed to measure four factors: negative teacher behavior (7 items), loss of task value (9 items), low expectancy for success (8 items), and problems with learning environment (10 items).…”

“…Zoltán Dörnyei is one of the earliest researchers that focused on learner demotivation study, and he concluded demotivation as "specific external forces that reduce or diminish the motivational basis of a behavioral intention or an ongoing action" (Dörnyei and Ushioda, 2011). Many other researchers (Falout et al, 2009;Sakai and Kikuchi, 2009;Zhou and Wang, 2012;Kikuchi, 2015;Xie et al, 2021) believed demotivation included both external factors (such as negative teacher behaviors and inappropriate teaching materials) and internal factors (such as low expectancy for success and lacking self-confidence). In this study, demotivation is considered to contain both external and internal factors which reduce or diminish the motivation to study English, a widely accepted definition.…”

Root Cause Analysis of Demotivation in the EFL Classroom: The Role of Task Value in a Monolingual Culture

“…The purpose of the current study was to trace demotivation back to its origin by examining demotivator attribution differences between regular non-English major students and students who are enrolled in a dual degree English program. This study utilized the Learner Perceptions of Demotivators Scale (Xie et al, 2021) to gauge three demotivating factors including negative teacher behavior, loss of task value, and low expectancy for success. Data were collected from a sample of 320 undergraduate students in China.…”