Revisiting integrative motivation: Validation of International Posture among Malaysian undergraduates

Gardner’s (1985) in his socio-educational model introduced the variable of ‘integrativeness’ as a construct that focuses on English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ attitudes towards the native English community. Later, Yashima (2002) proposed ‘international posture’ as an affective construct that re-examined ‘integrativeness’. Research conducted to reach a common operationalisation of ‘international posture’ is very limited. Hence, our objective in this study is to determine the level of each measurement construct under the affective variable of International Posture as well as to validate the measurement constructs of this variable among Malaysian undergraduates. In this quantitative study, 540 undergraduate students from a public university were selected. These students responded to a questionnaire that contained the four measurement constructs. For analysing the data, we used Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Our results have proven that the International Posture among Malaysian undergraduates is high, and the measurement constructs of this variable are valid and can be operationalised in the Malaysian English language learning context. The scale validated in the study can contribute to future studies on this variable in the Malaysian English language learning context.

English as a Vocational Passport: Japanese Medical Students and Second Language Learning Motivation

Recently, Japanese medical students are expected to acquire a high degree of English proficiency with the tacit understanding that it will feature in their future profession through interactions with non-Japanese patients and/or engagement with medical research. However, to the best of our knowledge, the motivation of Japanese medical students to learn English as a second language (L2) has not been studied. Using quantitative and qualitative questionnaires, we investigated the L2 learning motivation of second-year Japanese medical students and the degree to which the students have international posture, i.e., their awareness and openness to internationalization. The results revealed that the students were primarily instrumentally and vocationally motivated; in other words, their chief motivation for L2 learning came from an understanding of the usefulness of L2 proficiency for their future profession. The results also showed that the students had strong international posture, as evidenced by a deep desire to communicate internationally and an understanding of the role of English as a tool for global communication. The findings suggest that, to sustain or improve L2 learning motivation, educators should employ study materials that are pertinent to students’ future needs and professions.

INTERNATIONAL POSTURE, INTEGRATIVENESS AND L2 MOTIVATION IN THE SERBIAN EFL CONTEXT

In line with globalization, the development of bicultural identities and the emergence of English as a world language, the notion of “World English identity” or “international posture” has emerged, defined as the concept of English language separated from its native communities and cultures. As a means of explaining how an individual tends to relate oneself to the global community rather than any particular geographical or cultural entity, international posture has been regarded as an alternative to the notion of integrativeness or an interest in learning a foreign language in order to identify with a specific language community. Previous research has demonstrated that the lack of identification with native speakers and their cultures is an important motivating factor for English language learners in various contexts. The aim of the study is to determine which factor is a more significant predictor of English language learning motivation, international posture or integrativeness, in Serbia, that is, in the context with limited contact with the target language community. For this purpose, we conducted a survey with non-English major university students. The method of data collection involved a questionnaire survey aimed at examining the students’ international posture, integrativeness and their English language learning motivation. The results indicated that both international posture and integrativeness are predictors of the participants’ motivation for English language learning, while the concept of international posture proved to be a more significant source of the learners’ motivation. The present findings provide important insights into the nature of L2 motivation of the participants, thus carrying some pedagogical implications.

RELATION OF LEARNING STYLE TO INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND INTERNATIONAL ATTITUDES AMONG JAPANESE UNDERGRADUATES

This studyempirically explored how learning style relates to intercultural sensitivity and international attitudes in the context of a Japanese university. Atotal of 109 undergraduate students completed three questionnaires: Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory, Chen and Starosta’s Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, and Yashima’s International Posture as a measurefor international attitudes. Because the factor structure with constituent items of the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale was unresolved, we first examined the configuration of its latent constructs and then identified four underlying components. In terms of intercultural sensitivity, results of regression analysis illustrated that a learning style with a focus on acting over reflecting significantlynegativelyrelated to Anxious Interactionand marginallyrelated to Affirmative andEnjoyment Interaction. Results for international attitudes revealed that the samelearning variable wassignificantlyassociated with Intercultural Approach Tendency,Interest in International Vocation, andWillingness to Communicate to the World, whereas the learning variable of thinking versus feeling was marginally negatively related to Intercultural Approach Tendency. In conclusion, the study suggests that the learning styledimension of actionversus reflection has a strongerinfluence on intercultural sensitivity and international attitudesthan the learning dimension of thinking versus feeling.

Examining the Measurement Model of International Posture and How It Relates to Personality Traits

This study had two aims: to attempt to verify the construct validity of the measure of international posture—which refers to attitudes toward the international community—in foreign language education and to explore how international posture structurally relates to personality traits. A total of 163 Japanese undergraduate students participated in the study. To examine the first aim, exploratory factor analysis was conducted, followed by confirmatory factor analysis. Results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that three latent constructs were extracted from 23 items of the measure. Next, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the constructs with the fit indices except the chi-square score. To investigate the second aim, structural equation modeling was used. It showed that two personality traits—openness to experience and extraversion—were strongly associated with international posture. Furthermore, our study indicated a second-order configuration structured in the verified measure in relation to the two personality traits.

The Collapse of Pergamon

Pharnakes was succeeded by his brother Mithridates IV in the early 150s BC. His reign was brief, and his son, the powerful Mithridates V, became king within a decade. Mithridates V ruled for thirty years; during his reign the important state of Pergamon, to the west of Pontos, came to an end with its territory willed to the Roman Republic. This gave Rome territory on the Asian mainland. At first Pontic policy was to support Roman ambitions: Mithridates V sent aid to them in their third war against Carthage. His international posture was recognized by the island state of Delos and elsewhere in the traditional Greek world. But around 120 BC he was assassinated at Sinope on the Black Sea, which had replaced Amaseia as the Pontic capital; he was the only Pontic king to suffer such a fate.