Asian Students’ Social Goals in English Learning Motivation

Abstract

This paper presents a study of Asian university students’ motivation with reference to the Malay university students by utilizing Dornyei’s (2009) L2 Motivational Self System. The purpose of this work was to test the robustness of self-concept in L2 Motivational Self System and examine the consequence of the learner social goals into their self and motivation in Malaysian context. A questionnaire survey was designed and administered among 29 Malay undergraduates in Malaysia. The results of this investigation confirmed the strongest correlation between ideal L2 self and motivated learning. And a strong correlation was found between the learner self and social goals and learner social goals and motivated learning. It is pretty surprising that ought to L2 self and motivated learning has a significant correlation. The significant correlation of social goals and selves and motivated learning suggests the inevitable social attachment of the Asian learners. Asian learners as interdependent members of the society always focus their goals to meet the needs of the co-participants.