Ideal L2 Research Articles

Directed Motivational Currents in English L2 Learning

Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) can be described as intense surges in motivation which can carry second language (L2) learners towards achieving their L2 related goals. DMCs are triggered by powerful stimuli which can be diverse in nature, and they depend on various conditions. DMCs are characterized by several key features, including goal-orientedness, a salient facilitative structure, and positive emotionality. Individuals experiencing DMCs are highly focused on a clearly defined goal accompanied by a vision of an idealized future self that has reached the goal. This vision is supported by a new set of automatized behavioural routines, subgoals, and affirmative feedback. Furthermore, individuals experience positive emotions while engaged in pursuit of their L2 goal, regardless of the type of activity or task in question. The aim of this study was to describe DMCs among English L2 university students based on an analysis of interview data. The findings indicated that Croatian university students displayed the key features of DMCs, which were launched due to various triggering stimuli, the most common of which were intrapersonal reasons. L2 goals were mainly related to a future career in the teaching profession, while visions of their ideal L2 self were tied to becoming proficient English language speakers, but also to personal development. Most students used automatized behavioural routines which aided in attaining their goals. The results also suggested that negative feedback did not have a detrimental effect on students’ motivation. Moreover, students’ DMCs were associated with positive emotionality, through the satisfaction gained by goal attainment which reciprocally affected their self-confidence.

Motivation and Language Learning Narratives: A Case Study of Indonesian Students

Motivation is a foremost aspect in language learning and has been extensively studied in the field of SLA due to its important contribution to pedagogical implications. However, SLA scholars/researchers have overwhelmingly preoccupied specifically with Asian students such as Japanese and/or Chinese (Gong et al, 2020; Kikuchi, 2019). This ignores the unique individual differences that Indonesian students have which contribute to their learning trajectories. The present study investigated the factors of individual differences influencing their motivation in learning English as foreign language and how the ideal L2 self is expressed through their language learning narratives. A total of two Indonesian students studying abroad in one of the research-integrated universities in the US participated in this study during the Fall semester. Through three stages of open-ended interviews and the researcher's observations, the data were collected and analyzed using narrative analysis and the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) proposed by Dörnyei (2009) as framework. The analysis revealed that factors such as family background and socioeconomic status, education system inequality, and access to the target language contribute to their perception of their ideal L2 self. Additionally, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Asian immigrant students as a whole and helps to avoid stereotypical identities of Asian students based on previous research.

The Influence of Motivation on English Learning Initiative of Undergraduate Art and Sports Students

This article adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, in order to explore the relationship between motivation and learning initiative of art and sports students. The respondent of the study is the undergraduate art and sports student from several comprehensive universities in China. The analysis establishes the connection between different types of motivation and learning initiative. Learning motivation is divided into six categories: intrinsic interest, learning context, stage achievement, future development, social expectation, and intermediary tools. Data is collected through questionnaires and is analyzed with the help of SPSS software. The results indicate that the English learning initiative of art and sports students shows a decreasing trend after college entrance examination. In terms of motivation, intrinsic motivation is low, while the extrinsic and instrumental motivation are relatively high. It presents a characteristic of ought-to L2 self. The higher the proportion of instrumental motivation accounts the total motivation, the lower the initiative for English learning. English learning initiative is also influenced by the degree of dispersion of motivation proportion.The more average the motivation types, the higher the initiative. Both educators and art and sports students need to work together to enhance students ideal L2 self motivation for English learning, and thus raise their initiative for English learning.

The Impact of a Vision Intervention on Translation and Interpretation Students’ L2 Motivation

Visionary teaching interventions have had a positive impact on developing and strengthening students’ ideal L2 self and motivated behavior. However, research on the effects of this kind of intervention on the motivation of translation and interpretation students is scarce. Using a mixed methods approach, the study aimed to evaluate the impact of a semester-long intervention, focused on translation and interpretation students’ future professional careers, on their motivation, intended effort, and willingness to communicate. The participants were translation and interpretation students with a B1 level of English, who were divided in two groups for the study. The treatment group received a vision intervention (N=14) whereas the control group (N=14) did not. To measure the differences in motivation before and after the intervention, a questionnaire was used. Additionally, a semi-structured interview was used to explore in greater depth the students’ perceptions of the experience. The results of this study reveal that visionary teaching increased both ideal L2 self and intended effort of students. Furthermore, it showed that the intervention was memorable for students and that it benefited them in establishing a future L2 professional vision as well as outlining the steps to achieve it. Our findings suggest the importance of including visionary teaching in translation and interpretation programs so that students can become motivated and involved in their future professional paths.

Performance-based differences in the associations among ideal self, enjoyment, and anxiety: A longitudinal study on L2 integrated writing

Recently, second language (L2) researchers gradually shift their focus on learners’ motivational and emotional responses to specific language skills, such as L2 writing. However, there is a paucity of empirical research on the relationships between learners’ L2 writing performance, motivation, and emotions from a longitudinal perspective. With a sample of 235 English-major students from a Chinese university, the present study explored the changes in the ideal L2 writing self and its relationships with L2 writing enjoyment and L2 writing anxiety among students with different integrated writing (IW) performance over an academic year. The ANOVA results reported that the ideal L2 writing self remained stable over time and showed no significant difference among three groups of students (high-level, middle-level, and low-level). The multi-group path analysis results revealed that, for all three groups, the ideal L2 writing self at time 1 positively predicted the ideal L2 writing self at time 2, which, nonetheless, displayed varied influence on L2 writing enjoyment and anxiety among the three groups. The study contributes to the literature by exploring the relationships between L2 writers’ motivational and emotional responses from longitudinal and performance-based perspectives. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are proposed based on the findings.

A Study on the Effects of L2 Motivational Self System and Language Learning Anxiety on English Performance of Non-English Major Undergraduates

In the context of the evolving landscape of humanistic psychology and the introduction of the affective filter hypothesis, researchers have increasingly shifted their focus towards students emotional factors, particularly encompassing learning motivation and anxiety. This departure marks a shift away from the traditionally emphasized intelligence factors. Grounded in Drnyeis L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) and Horwitzs anxiety classification, this study engages a cohort of 107 non-English major undergraduates. Through the application of quantitative research methods, the investigation aims to explore the prevailing status of L2MSS and foreign language anxiety among these students, while also revealing correlations that exist among L2MSS, foreign language anxiety, and English achievements. The study uncovers that a majority of non-English major undergraduates exhibit moderate levels of the L2MSS and language learning anxiety. Notably, significant disparities are observed across all dimensions of L2MSS and learning anxiety among students with varying levels of achievements. Furthermore, the research underscores a notably negative correlation between the L2MSS and learning anxiety. In parallel, a substantial positive correlation emerges between L2MSS and English achievements, while learning anxiety demonstrates a robust negative correlation with English achievements. Expanding upon these insights, this study aims to provide thoughtful recommendations for college English education. The objective is to elevate the levels of non-English major undergraduates ideal L2 self, enhance their involvement in active second language learning experiences, and effectively alleviate their foreign language learning anxiety.

Contributions of Ideal L2 Self, Grit, and Boredom to Engagement in an EFL Context: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Contributions of Ideal L2 Self, Grit, and Boredom to Engagement in an EFL Context: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Motivating online language learning: exploring ideal L2 self, grit, and self-efficacy in relation to student satisfaction.

This study delves into the intricate network of motivational factors that influence online learning satisfaction among intermediate-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in mainland China. A diverse sample of 496 EFL students participated in this research. Structural Equation Modeling was employed as the analytical method. The results of the study reveal significant and positive relationships between ideal L2 self and L2 grit with online learning satisfaction. Additionally, online learning self-efficacy emerged as a crucial mediator between ideal L2 self and online learning satisfaction, as well as between L2 grit and online learning satisfaction. These findings provide valuable insights into the motivational dynamics within online language learning contexts. They offer practical implications for educators and instructional designers seeking to enhance students' online learning experiences.

The validation crisis in the L2 motivational self system tradition

AbstractConcerns have recently been raised about the validity of scales used in the L2 motivational self system tradition, particularly in relation to sufficient discriminant validity among some of its scales. These concerns highlight the need to systematically examine the validity of scales used in this tradition. In this study, we therefore compiled a list of 18 scales in widespread use and administered them to Korean learners of English (N = 384). Testing the factorial structure of these scales using multiple exploratory and confirmatory factor-analytic criteria revealed severe discriminant validity issues. For example, the ideal L2 self was not discriminant from linguistic self-confidence, suggesting that participant responses to such ideal L2 self items is not driven by actual–ideal discrepancies as previously presumed but more likely by self-efficacy beliefs. We discuss these results in the context of the need to encourage systematic psychometric validation research in the language motivation field.

Examining the relationships among motivation, informal digital learning of English, and foreign language enjoyment: An explanatory mixed-method study

AbstractThis explanatory mixed-method study seeks to understand the relationships between second language (L2) motivation (including the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self) and students’ informal digital learning of English (IDLE) and whether such relationships are mediated by the most prominent positive emotion – enjoyment. A total of 391 Chinese university students participated in the survey, and 15 of them were interviewed later. Quantitative analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between the ideal L2 self and participants’ IDLE, which was partially mediated by foreign language enjoyment (FLE), while the hypotheses that the ought-to L2 self significantly predicted FLE and IDLE were rejected. The qualitative data added details to how a vivid and elaborate L2 vision contributed to enhanced English learning enjoyment and served as the most influential motivator for IDLE practices. Meanwhile, the external and instrumental motives could not predict Chinese university students’ enjoyment, disempowering them to invest in productive language learning practices in the informal and digitalized environment. The discussion of these findings and pedagogical implications helps to chart the path for utilizing the power of the ideal L2 self to engage Chinese university students with the extramural and digitalized language learning ecology.

Self‐concept and self‐visions in CLIL and non‐CLIL learners and their effect on motivation

AbstractTo date, most studies that explore the differences in motivation between content and language‐integrated learning (CLIL) and non‐CLIL learners have been mainly quantitative or have not controlled for differences in socio‐economic status (SES). While many researchers agree that CLIL learners tend to have greater motivation than non‐CLIL learners, there has been little explanation of the reasons behind this difference, perhaps partly because the field lacks studies from the perspective of CLIL students themselves. Based on the L2 motivational self‐system and the construct of self‐concept, this study employed a mixed‐methods approach to explore CLIL and non‐CLIL learners’ current and future self‐visions. Fifteen‐year‐old learners in the Madrid region (n = 348) completed a questionnaire that considered their SES levels as well as experiences related to the scales of English self‐concept, academic self‐concept, and teacher expectations. The same learners were then invited to take part in focus groups in which researchers delved into the reasoning behind their motivation. Despite no significant difference in SES levels between CLIL and non‐CLIL learner groups, CLIL participants are found to display a slightly more positive self‐concept and more robust ideal L2 self‐visions, which may explain the perceived greater motivation among CLIL learners to study (in) English. Furthermore, the L2 ought‐to self is found to be a secondary, yet potentially positive force toward higher motivation.

The role of future L2 selves in L2 speech development: A longitudinal study in an instructional setting

The current study examined the role of English-speaking instruction and motivation in learners' development of L2 speech comprehensibility and accentedess, over the course of an academic semester. Eighty-three college students enrolled in English classes in China completed a sentence reading task and a picture description task twice (pre-test and post-test), as well as a questionnaire for measuring their future selves (Papi et al., 2019). The collected speech samples were coded for comprehensibility and accentedness. t-test results indicated that after one semester of English-speaking instruction, the learners made statistically significant gains in both L2 speech measures. Hierarchical multiple regression results showed that Ideal L2 Self/Own positively predicted speech comprehensibility, and Ideal L2 Self/Other negatively predicted L2 speech accentedness. The results suggest that learners’ future L2 selves influence how they take advantage of instructional opportunities to improve their L2 speech in qualitatively different manners. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

İngilizceyi Yabancı Dil Olarak Öğrenen Öğrencilerin Hedefli Motivasyonel Akımlarını Açıklamada İdeal Yabancı Dil Benliği ve Zihniyet Rolünü Ortaya Çıkarmak

Recent trends in the field of second language learning motivation have led to a proliferation of studies that scrutinize Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs). However, there remains a paucity of evidence on the individual difference variables that induce DMCs. In particular, research to date has not yet determined the role of ideal L2 self and mindset in explaining variations in the DMC disposition. This quantitative study aims to fill these gaps in the literature by exploring the role of ideal L2 self and growth mindset in explaining EFL Learners’ DMCs. The current study was conducted with a total of 176 preparatory class students enrolled in the department of English Language and Literature or English Language Teaching at various state universities in Turkey. The data were gathered using a composite survey instrument that includes the DMC Disposition Scale, the Mindset Instrument, and Ideal L2 Self Scale. The findings of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that growth mindset explained 32% of the variance in EFL learners’ DMCs whereas ideal L2 self contributed to the prediction of DMCs, explaining 24% of the variance in participants’ DMC disposition. The results offer new insights into how teachers could exploit these motivational surges to promote learning in EFL settings.

Examining the Interplay Between Growth and Fixed Mindsets, L2 Grit, and L2 Motivational Self-System of L2 Learners

The purpose of this study is to analyse the structural relations between L2 learners’ mindsets, L2 grit and the L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS). The main driving force behind the study is the observation that mindsets have emerged as a significant variable in language-teaching research over the past years. The study was conducted with 403 L2 learners. To see the structural relations between and among the variables in the study, a structural equation model was used. The revised model showed that a growth mindset affects both the perseverance of effort (POE) and the consistency of interest (COI), which are the components that make up grit. Moreover, POE and COI mediate the relationship between the growth mindset and L2MSS, with the highest mediating impact between growth mindset and ideal L2 self. The study discovered that a fixed mindset only predicted ought-to L2 self/others. Finally, several theoretical and pedagogical implications are proposed based on the findings of the study.

Motivation of EFL Vietnamese Students in Economics-related Majors

Motivation plays an essential part in learning, especially in second language acquisition (SLA). This paper investigates the learning motivation of Vietnamese economics-related majors studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL), utilizing Dornyei’s (2005) L2 motivational self-system as the theoretical framework. The subjects were 236 first-year and 99 second-year students. A mixed method research design with both quantitative and qualitative approaches was employed. The 6-point scale questionnaire was adapted from Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009), including 24 items to explore students’ Ideal L2 Self, the Ought-to L2 Self, the students’ attitudes and their effort in learning English. The quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS software for Mean, Standard Deviation, and correlations. The open-ended section and focus group interview probed further into the students’ motivation, influencing factors, as well as the student recommendations for stakeholders in order to enhance their motivation to learn English. The study proposes some implications for EFL instructors, curriculum developers, and administrators to promote students’ motivation in English learning.

Dialogic investigations: Motivation in Japanese language learning

Over the past 15 years, the L2 motivational self system (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) has been a dominant framework in the field of second language (L2) motivation. Yet, since the model’s introduction, there has been a theoretical discordance between the two components associated with future self-images (the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self) and the third component related to the actual process of learning (the L2 learning experience). To remedy this shortcoming, this study draws on Bakhtin’s (1981, 1986) theory of dialog. Bakhtin claims that any use of language is a dialog between self and others and that language is learned through the assimilation of speech genres used by others for similar purposes in typical situations of social communication. The analysis of interview data obtained from three Japanese-as-a-second-language learners shows how situation-specific and future-oriented motivations are related to each other. The learners’ engagement in dialog with imagined Japanese speakers is developed through their engagement in dialog with actual Japanese speakers, and regardless of whether the dialog is actual or imagined, the participants orient themselves to speech genres of the language that correspond to particular social contexts.

Ideal L2 self and foreign language achievement: The mediating roles of L2 grit and foreign language enjoyment

Ideal L2 self and foreign language achievement: The mediating roles of L2 grit and foreign language enjoyment

Ideal L2 Self, Self-Efficacy, and Pragmatic Production: The Mediating Role of Willingness to Communicate in Learning English as a Foreign Language.

The role that individual difference factors play in pragmatic learning behavior has received increasing attention in second-language (L2) pragmatics. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring the relationship between learners' motivational variables and their pragmatic production. To address this gap, the present study aims to examine a model of the ideal L2 self, self-efficacy, willingness to communicate (WTC), and pragmatic production among English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners. The study also seeks to explore the mediating role of WTC within this structural model. For this purpose, a total of 427 undergraduate students at a public university in China were recruited for an online survey. The structural validity of the questionnaires was established using a confirmatory-factor analysis, while the hypothesized structural relations between the variables were tested through structural-equation modeling. The results demonstrated that self-efficacy and WTC significantly and directly predicated pragmatic production. Nevertheless, the ideal L2 self influenced pragmatic production indirectly, through the mediation of WTC. The study concludes by providing implications for teaching and by offering suggestions for future research.

Chinese undergraduate students' motivation to learn Korean as a LOTE.

As rates of multilingualism increase, interest in the field of Languages Other Than English (LOTEs) has been growing over the last few years. This study investigated the motivation held by Chinese undergraduate students for learning Korean as a LOTE using Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS). In total, 123 subjects responded to the 6-point Likert scale measuring their Korean learning motivation. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Logistic regression was applied for identifying variables that distinguished the first-year from the second-year learners of Korean, while canonical correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation between two sets of variables, the first set of dependent variables of the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self, and the second set of independent variables of family influence, instrumentality promotion, instrumentality prevention, attitude to learning Korean, cultural interest, attitude toward community and integrativeness. Results showed that variables of family influence, cultural interest, and attitude to learning Korean were statistically significant in distinguishing the first-year from the second-year learners in terms of affective variables. In addition, canonical analysis showed that the dependent variable set of the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self together shared nearly 69% variance with the independent variable set, indicating that the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self together were highly related with these affective variables in the independent variable set. The findings of the current study suggest that more creative Korean language learning activities be adopted to help sustain the high levels of affect among Korean language learners.

RETRACTED: Junior secondary school students' motivation for learning multiple foreign languages in Burundi: a cross-sectional study

This study investigated the motivation of Burundi junior secondary school students learning simultaneously three foreign languages: French, English, and Kiswahili. A 65-item questionnaire was employed to sample the views of 348 (grade 7 through 9) learners from state schools. Using L2 motivational self system developed by Dörnyei as the main theoretical framework, this study specifically explored temporal changes in L2 motivation of the participants over the 3-year period across the three target languages. The results indicated that there were significant differences in most of the measured motivational scales across the three languages with ninth grade students scoring significantly lower than their peers from lower school grades. Moreover, the results revealed that L2 learning experience and ideal L2 self were the two variables that, respectively, predicted most the students' intended effort to learn each language. One school grade-related difference was that international posture appeared as a significant factor among seventh grade students in relation to French learning and among ninth grade pupils regarding English learning. Another finding, which was unexpected, was that English (L3) appeared to be the most popular foreign language among these students. In the light of the results, pedagogical implications are discussed based on the socio-educational context of Burundi.