Intricate Relations of Motivation, Demotivation, and Context in Korean High School Students’ EFL Learning

Abstract

This study investigates Korean high school students’ English learning motivation and demotivation in relation to the features of the national context, focusing on how the intricate relations between them affect their achievement in learning English. A total of 753 students, either in Grade 10 or 11, participated in a questionnaire survey including five motivating factors (Competitive Motivation, College Admission Motivation, Intrinsic Motivation, the Ought-to L2 Self, and the Ideal L2 Self) and five demotivating factors (Dissatisfaction with Learning Environment, Feeling of Falling Behind, Interference from Others, Unsatisfactory Learning Methods, and Lack of Sense of Purpose). Additionally, as a criterion measure, self-reported English proficiency was measured by their latest English test scores in school based on the 100-point system. The results indicated that the students perceived College Admission Motivation to be the strongest motivator, followed by Competitive Motivation. Feeling of Falling Behind and Unsatisfactory Learning Methods were proved to be the most prominent factors affecting the students’ EFL learning in a destructive way. As for the relationships between motivating and demotivating factors, College Admission Motivation, Competitive Motivation, and the Ought-to L2 Self exhibited positive relations with one of the five demotivating factors, while the Ideal L2 Self and Intrinsic Motivation showed negative ones. Finally, among ten variables for motivation and demotivation, Intrinsic Motivation, the Ideal L2 Self, Dissatisfaction with Learning Environment, College Admission Motivation, and Feeling of Falling Behind were identified to be significant predictors for English achievement.