Language Learning Motivation: A Comparative Study between English and Mandarin Language Learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Siti Faridah Kamaruddin ◽  
Ting Hie Ling ◽  
Aisyah Nazamud-Din
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Quantum Leap ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Mandarin Language

English as a Second Language (ESL) is a term which is broadly used in Malaysia’s educational system. Mandarin, on the other hand, is only used among Chinese community and not many non-Chinese know and use Mandarin language as their communication tools among themselves. However, due to the rapid development of economy in China, the interest in Mandarin language learning is becoming prominent. In Malaysia, a country which has developed a tight diplomatic and economic relationship with China since 1976, the interest in learning Mandarin as a Foreign Language (MFL) among the non-Chinese learners is also growing where there is a quantum leap of Mandarin learners at tertiary level (Teow, Ismail, Foo & Ho, 2016). Students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) are offered with both English as a Second Language (ESL) and Mandarin as a Foreign Language (MFL) courses. It means that students must learn English and Mandarin simultaneously especially for Diploma students and Degree students. Understanding how the motivation to learn each language might vary within a certain socio-political context is worth exploring, as it may help lecturers working within that context to motivate their students to learn the language more effectively. Moreover, it is reasonable to assume that the different languages learned might trigger different emotional responses from learners (Humphreys & Spratt. 2008). In relation to this, it is important to examine the differences of students’ ESL and MFL learning motivation. This study employed a quantitative research design which emphasized on data collection from students who studied ESL and MFL.

An Investigation of the Relationship between Pragmatic Competence and Motivation for Non-English Majors

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1308
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Relationship

Language is used for communication. Pragmatic competence, which is essential in English teaching, is an important component of communicative competence. The development of pragmatic competence will enhance that of foreign language learners’ communicative competence. This study discusses the relation between pragmatic competence and language learning motivation. Results show that students’ general pragmatic competence is at a low level. Most of the subjects hold instrumental motivation as their dominant motivation. Significant correlation has been found between pragmatic competence and language learning motivation (r=.582; p=.000). According to the survey results, the author provides several suggestions on cultivating and maintaining learners’ motivation in their pragmatic learning.

The influence of second language learning motivation on students' understandability of textbooks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuqian Zhang ◽  
Anura De Zoysa ◽  
Kalinga Jagoda
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
International Students ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Commerce Students

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the understandability of an accounting textbooks written in English and the language learning motivation of international students. Previous research assumed that native speakers of a language and second-language speakers would understand a given accounting text similarly and little attempt has been made to ascertain any individual differences in users’ capacity to read and understand a foreign language. Design/methodology/approach The 107 participants in this study comprised of full-time English as a Second Language postgraduate commerce students studying at a major Australian university. The authors used two-part questionnaire to examine the motivation of participants and the understandability of an accounting textbook using the Cloze test. Findings The results suggest that most international students have difficulty in understanding the textbook narratives used in this study. Furthermore, the results show that students’ motivation to learn a foreign language impacts on the understandability of an accounting textbook. Practical implications This study will help the educators, textbook publishers and students to understand the needs of ESL students. It is expected to provide guidance for authors and instructors to enhance the effectiveness of the accounting courses. Originality/value The accounting literature shows that there have been efforts by accounting researchers to measure the understandability of accounting texts or narratives. This research provided valuable insights of the learning challenges of international students and valuable recommendations to educators and publishers to enhance the delivery.

scholarly journals Attitude and Motivation in Learning a Local Language

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mulyanto Widodo ◽  
Farida Ariyani ◽  
Ag. Bambang Setiyadi
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Local Language ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Attitude And Motivation

Some studies have been conducted to relate motivation with second /foreign language learning. Belmechri and Hummel (1988) introduced intensity and desire in exploring motivation in the acquisition of a second language. In some studies motivation was classified into integrative and instrumental (Gardner and Lambert, 1972; Ely, 1986; Oxford and Shearin, 1994; and Sung and Padila, 1998), while some other studies motivation was classified into extrinsic and intrinsic (Dornyei (1994; Ramage, 1990; and Noels et al. 1999). Unlike the concept of motivation introduced by Oller et al.(1977 and Spolsky ( 1969), who did not separate attitude from motivation in language learning motivation in language learning in the study is separated from attitude. This study attempted to investigate how individual differences with regard to attitude and motivation are correlated in language learning. The participants in this study consisted of 75 students of a university in Indonesia who have been learning Lampungese language, a local language, since Elementary School. The data of attitude and motivation, which were collected through questionnaires, were analyzed by undertaking correlation analyses. The findings show that attitude and motivation was significantly correlated. The pedagogical implications were also provided in this study.

scholarly journals Chinese Learners of Portuguese and Spanish Majors in Macau: A Comparative Case-Study of Motivation Aspects

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Oksana Kharlay ◽  
Martin Bagheri ◽  
Jeremy D. Philips
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Language Community ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Chinese Learners ◽  
Integrative Motivation

This study investigated multiple learning motivation aspects of Chinese university students in Macau majoring in Spanish and Portuguese. A mixed methods research was employed by using questionnaires and interviews. 181 learners (96 Portuguese and 85 Spanish majors) were surveyed about ten language-learning motivation dimensions by using a questionnaire. A subset of participants from questionnaires were later given follow-up interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the students in these majors had strong intrinsic motivation but limited integrative motivation towards the target language community. Other motivational pull-factors were the heritage connection between the language and the place of study and interest in the pop-culture associated related to the target language. Students reported a decline in motivation during the middle years of study, however, Spanish students’ interest resurged by the end of year three. There was also a gender imbalance, suggesting that career-related aspects of motivations were stronger among males. The results also revealed that language learners had an ideal-self that was multilingual and cosmopolitan but did not aspire to integrate into a specific target-language community.

scholarly journals Forging new pathways for research on language learning motivation

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Françoise Raby
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Cognitive Ergonomics ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
Methodological Difficulties

Abstract Research on motivation in the field of applied linguistics seeks to better understand how and why learners become involved in learning activities and maintain their efforts in this regard. Dörnyei provided a seminal model drawing essentially from cognitive and social psychology (Dörnyei, 2001). In the wake of his reflection, and after investigating motivation in a range of academic contexts, we are now able to present our own model, which is dynamic, weighted, and polytomic (Raby, 2007). After presenting cognitive ergonomics as a new pathway for research in second language acquisition, we shall present the results of our investigations in foreign language learning motivation in technologically enhanced contexts, outlining major methodological difficulties pertaining to this sort of this grounded research.

An investigation into the relationship of foreign language learning motivation and sign language use among Deaf and hard of hearing Hungarians

2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edit H. Kontra ◽  
Kata Csizér
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The aim of this study is to point out the relationship between foreign language learning motivation and sign language use among hearing impaired Hungarians. In the article we concentrate on two main issues: first, to what extent hearing impaired people are motivated to learn foreign languages in a European context; second, to what extent sign language use in the classroom as well as outside school shapes their level of motivation. The participants in our research were 331 Deaf and hard of hearing people from all over Hungary. The instrument of data collection was a standardized questionnaire. Our results support the notion that sign language use helps foreign language learning. Based on the findings, we can conclude that there is indeed no justification for further neglecting the needs of Deaf and hard of hearing people as foreign language learners and that their claim for equal opportunities in language learning is substantiated.

EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING MOTIVATION TO FILIPINO FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNERS

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 645-658
Author(s):  
Sherrilyn B. Quintos
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Filipino Students ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Relationship

This quantitative research study investigated the relationship between anxiety acquired through foreign language learning and learning motivation of Filipino students in Bataan Peninsula State University. Participants were identified through stratified random sampling. It adapted two sets of questionnaires: Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale by Horwitz, et al. (1986) and Foreign Language Learning Motivation Questionnaire developed by Gonzales (2006). Results showed that anxiety and motivation have a significant relationship with each other. Higher level of learning motivations students set for themselves manifest higher chances for them to develop consciousness and anxiety over their academic performance. They see L2 learning essential in employment opportunities, effective communication, and exploring foreign culture. However, their sense of interest to the course is primarily driven by extrinsic motivations which are only influenced by external factors such as the need to take the subject to pass a requirement. In return, they grow anxious and fearful of the possible consequences of being unable to achieve learning expectations and self-goals. While it is true that age does not significantly affect the relationship of the two variables under examination, it was found that females are more likely to exemplify a receptive behavior in learning than males. It is of high suggestion to integrate different strategies in teaching foreign language to minimize anxiety tendencies and maximize students’ engagement in learning. Also, it is recommended to devise or adapt a more context-specific questionnaire that will deeply explore on the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of students and the anxiety concomitant to it. Finally, further studies are highly encouraged to be conducted to further navigate the interplay of other contributing variables in their foreign language learning experiences.

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