The Dynamics of Language Learning Attitudes and Motivation: Lessons From an Interview Study of Dyslexic Language Learners

Abstract

The aim of our study was to provide an insider's account of the dynamics of language learning motivation in Hungarian students with dyslexia. For this purpose, we conducted qualitative interviews with 15 students who studied foreign languages in a variety of educational settings. In this article, we drew up a dynamic model of language learning motivation based on our interview data with dyslexic learners. We argued that goals, attitudes, and motivated behavior form a closely interrelated coadaptive system, in which change in one of these motivational constructs also brings about change in the other related constructs. We placed these motivational factors within the system of learner internal factors that, for our group of participants, included self-perceptions and cognitive factors such as dyslexia. The learner was then situated in 2 interrelated external systems: milieu and the instructional setting. In our research, we pointed out how influences stemming from the learners' immediate environment as well as from the instructional setting might affect learning goals, attitudes, and motivated behavior. Finally, we argued that the general social context is the largest system into which all the previously mentioned subsystems need to be placed.IN OUR GLOBALIZED WORLD, COMPEtence in a second or foreign language (L2 1 ) is often as important as other basic competencies such as literacy and arithmetic skills. In many countries of the world, however, students who have special educational needs receive assistance in basic academic skills but not in learning foreign languages or L2s. Institutional help for students with learning disabilities (LDs) in an L2 is often not provided due to the assumption that because these students have difficulties in reading and writing in their native language, they cannot be expected

Tasks and learner motivation in learning Chinese as a foreign language

“…Some researchers have explored alternative methods in conducting motivation research, such as qualitative interviews (Csizér, Kormos, & Sarkadi, 2010;Ushioda, 2001) or a mixed-methods approach (Busse & Walter, 2013;Cai & Zhu, 2012). This study aims to explore and relate learners' feedback about tasks to learner motivation, primarily from a qualitative perspective.…”

Changes in the Motivation of Chinese ESL Learners: A Qualitative Investigation

“…According to Dörnyei (2001), 'the downside of quantitative methods is that they average out responses across the whole sample or subsample, and by working with concepts of averages it is impossible to do justice to the subjective variety of an individual life ' (p. 193). Csizér et al (2010) pointed out that it is very important to carry out qualitative studies in order to explore the dynamic and fluctuating nature of language learning motivation. In accordance with his conceptualization of L2 motivation from a self perspective, Dörnyei (2005) suggested that motivational change may involve the elaboration of the ideal L2 self and the internalization of the ought-to L2 self.…”

“…The motivation of L2 learners is affected by a number of contextual variables such as learners' immediate learning environment and social and linguistic milieu (e.g., Clément & Kruidenier, 1983;Csizér, Kormos, & Sarkadi, 2010;Dörnyei & Csizér, 2002;Gardner, 1985). These factors (i.e., learners' immediate learning environment and social and linguistic milieu) may cause fluctuation in the intensity of L2 motivation during the L2 learning process.…”

“…Moreover, most previous studies on motivational change only compared quantitative data collected by means of questionnaires at two distant points in time (e.g., Gardner, Masgoret, Tennant, & Mihic, 2004;Inbar, Donitsa-Schmidt, & Shohamy, 2001), and as a result may fail to capture ongoing changes in L2 motivation. Therefore, a more qualitative research approach has been considered more appropriate for investigating the dynamic and temporal dimensions of L2 motivation (e.g., Csizér et al, 2010;Dörnyei, 2009b;Ushioda, 2001). Recently, some researchers have attempted to investigate the dynamics of language learning motivation from a complex dynamic systems (CDS) perspective (see Dörnyei, MacIntyre & Henry, 2015;Nitta & Baba, 2015; for comprehensive reviews of CDS) by employing qualitative methods such as interviews (e.g., Bambirra, 2016;You & Chan, 2015).…”

Perceptions of and Experiences with Vocational College English Majors’ Out-of-class English Learning in Taiwan

“…As shown, motivation is such an important factor that leads to successful learning outcomes. If motivation could be generated and gradually increased, learning outcomes would be expected to improve over time (Csizer, Kormos, & Sarkadi, 2010;Hsiao, Tu, & Chung, 2012).…”