Heritage Narratives, Motivation to Learn English and the Development of National Identity : An Indonesian Perspective

Abstract

Although locality has been considerably discussed in the area of teaching of English as a foreign language, little is known how it relates to young learners’ motivation and their sense of national identity. Framed by Canagarajah’s (2005) local reclamation, this descriptive qualitative study investigates the potential impact of using Indonesian heritage narratives in English teaching on students’ motivation to learn English and the development of their sense of national identity. Data are generated from English text-book analysis, a questionnaire administered to 100 students of junior and senior high schools and 20 English teachers followed by semi-structured interviews on the use of heritage narratives in the classroom. Students’ motivation in the foreign language was classified into Dornyei’s (1994) types; language, learner, and learning situation. Meanwhile, students’ identity development was analysed by Kelman’s (1998) agency of identity development and Guibernau’s (2007) dimensions of national identity. Analysis reveals that students’ familiarity with the topic of heritage narratives can improve their language skills and motivation to learn English. How these heritage narratives can also lead to heightened sense of national pride, involving cultural, psychological and territorial dimensions is further explored.