CHAPTER TEN Motivation, Attitudes and Selves in the Japanese Context: A Mixed Methods Approach (Tatsuya Taguchi, Aichi University of Education) Abstract This chapter explores the motivation and attitudes of Japanese learners of English by employing a two-phase mixed method approach within the framework of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System. A questionnaire was first administered to over 1500 Japanese university students learning English. Statistical results indicate that a indirect influence of the Ideal L2 self on learners’ intended learning effort through their Attitudes to learning English. From the statistical analyses, two issues were identified. First, students had difficulty imagining themselves using English for work-study purposes and their ideal L2 self had little impact on their intended learning effort. Second, while students had positive attitudes towards learning English as well as towards the English classes, they did not make efforts to study English. To help explain these results, a follow-up interview study was undertaken with 20 university students. The results suggest that the students had little intention of using English for work-study purposes. Although they indeed enjoyed learning English and had favourable attitudes towards the English classes, they did not invest a substantial amount of energy and effort in learning English due to a lack of feared selves and the perceived irrelevance of English class activities for their future following graduation.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 05:32:53 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015