Motivation and learner variables: Group differences in college foreign language learners' motivations

Abstract

In this study, the researchers surveyed 130 language learners enrolled in first-year foreign language classrooms in a public university in Utah, United States. This study intended to address the following research questions: (1) What motivational factors are found among learners enrolled in first-year foreign language courses at the university level in the United States?, (2) Do first-year language learners' motivations differ based on the following learner variables: (a) gender, (b) language being learned, (c) major, and (d) religion? and (3) What motivational factors predict learners' interest in continuing foreign language learning? Factor analysis, MANOVA, and multiple regressions were run to answer the questions. The factor analysis results found seven motivational factors: positive learning attitudes/experience and intended efforts, interest in culture, travel, and people, interest in contemporary cultural media, milieu, instrumentality, language requirement, and religion. The MANOVA results showed that major and religion had significant effects on motivation. The results of the multiple regression test indicated that two motivational factors, positive learning attitudes/experience and intended efforts, and interest in culture, travel, and people, predicted the participants' interest in future L2 study.

Preparatory School Students' English Language Learning Motivation: A Sample from Turkey

“…With regard to gender differences in language learning motivation, this study found no significant difference between female and male students in their English learning motivation, which conformed to other findings in the literature showing no difference between motivation levels of males and females [23]. However, this finding contradicts with the results of other studies which reported higher levels of motivation for females than males for learning a second language [18,19].…”

“…These findings also supported the view in the literature. Similarly, Sung and Tsai [23] also found that learners' interest in culture, travel, people, and positive learning attitudes/experience are two important predictors of future foreign language learning. In the same line, Wen's [1] study also displayed the fact that positive learning attitudes/experience is a strong predictor of learners' desire to continue foreign language learning.…”

“…On the contrary, Al-Bustan and Al-Bustan's [22] study indicated higher motivation of males over females in a Kuwaiti language learning context. On the other hand, Sung and Tsai's [23] study in the US dispalyed that whether a participant was female or male had little or no influence on their motivation. In the Japanese context, Mori and Gobel [24] also investigated the possibility of gender difference in English learners' motivation with 453 university level students.…”

“…Based on the results of the study, it was emphasized that positive learning attitudes and interactive learning processes should be given enough attention in formal learning settings. On the other hand, Sung and Tsai [23] investigated different factors which influence learners' persistence in foreign language study with 130 language learners enrolled in various language courses such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese at a state university in the U.S. Two motivational factors, learners' interest in culture, travel, and people, and positive learning attitudes/experiences were found to be the most important predictors of learners' intention to continue language learning. Namely, the possibility of continuing learning a language is high for learners who have positive attitudes towards L2 community and enjoy the language learning context.…”

“…Namely, the possibility of continuing learning a language is high for learners who have positive attitudes towards L2 community and enjoy the language learning context. With respect to these findings, Sung and Tsai [23] suggest that language teachers not only need to introduce the culture of the target language in order to foster integrative motivation of learners, but they also provide their learners with an authentic and meaningful learning context by means of interactive and suitable activities and tasks. Similarly, MacIntyre and Blackie's study [33] with 117 high school French-as-a-second-language students revealed that positive attitudes toward learning the language is the main estimator for intention to continue French studies.…”