Title
Motivation Over Time: Learning English as a Second Language
Date
5-31-2018 8:37 AM
End Time
31-5-2018 8:44 AM
Location
WUC Willamette Room
Session Chair
Henry Hughes
Session Title
Literature, Writing and Linguistics
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Sponsor(s)
Robert Troyer
Abstract
In the 20th century, R.C. Gardener developed the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) to assess an L2 learner’s beliefs and feelings about learning foreign languages. Using a Language Motivation Assessment (LMA) based on Gardener’s AMTB, this study examines the factors that affect motivation, the ways a learner’s motivation can change over time, and strategies that can be used to increase motivation for a learner that is primarily extrinsically motivated. The data from the LMA was supplemented with information gathered during informal meetings with the study’s participant in which aspects that might affect motivation were discussed. The findings suggest that a variety of factors influence motivation; these include the reasons an L2 learner has for studying the language, cultural and familial pressures and support, and the L2 learner’s experiences with teachers. The results also show that reducing language anxiety and giving a lighter class workload may help increase a learner’s motivation over time, especially if the learner is extrinsically motivated.
Recommended Citation
Hannah, Madeleine, "Motivation Over Time: Learning English as a Second Language" (2018). Academic Excellence Showcase Schedule. 178.
https://digitalcommons.wou.edu/aes_event/2018/all/178
Motivation Over Time: Learning English as a Second Language
WUC Willamette Room
In the 20th century, R.C. Gardener developed the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) to assess an L2 learner’s beliefs and feelings about learning foreign languages. Using a Language Motivation Assessment (LMA) based on Gardener’s AMTB, this study examines the factors that affect motivation, the ways a learner’s motivation can change over time, and strategies that can be used to increase motivation for a learner that is primarily extrinsically motivated. The data from the LMA was supplemented with information gathered during informal meetings with the study’s participant in which aspects that might affect motivation were discussed. The findings suggest that a variety of factors influence motivation; these include the reasons an L2 learner has for studying the language, cultural and familial pressures and support, and the L2 learner’s experiences with teachers. The results also show that reducing language anxiety and giving a lighter class workload may help increase a learner’s motivation over time, especially if the learner is extrinsically motivated.