Second Language (L2) Motivational Self-System and L2 Achievement: A Study of Korean High School Learners

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship between the Second language (L2) motivational self-system of Korean high school students and their L2 achievement. The researcher employed 50 questionnaire items, which is based on Dörnyei’s (2005) L2 motivational self-system. The participants were 87 high school students in South Korea. This study used the National Achievement Test of South Korea to obtain the data of the L2 achievement level. The results of the study suggested that 1) Ideal L2-Self, 2) Attitudes to Learning English, 3) Criterion Measures, and 4) Cultural Interest positively correlated with L2 achievement. Also, the result of the intermediate level only had a significant correlation while there was no significant correlation between motivation and L2 achievement for the advanced-level and low-level students. Moreover, the data revealed that there were differences based on gender. While Attitudes to Learning English and Criterion Measures of the male high school students had a positive relationship with L2 achievement score, Ideal L2-Self of the female high school students had a positive relationship with L2 achievement score.