Abstract
Novice learners comprise the majority of language students in higher education, but very few decide to continue their foreign language education beyond the required credits. Educators must develop a deeper understanding of what motivates this group of students so they can design pedagogical practices that will help students shift from a checklist mindset to a lifelong commitment approach to language learning. This qualitative study examines the role that a motivational focus and future-self guides play in the language learning experience of novice language learners, taking a language class for the first time, from the USA, and the role that a grammar-based pedagogy has on the formation of those self-guides. Interviews with ten novice language learners showed that six students exhibited a strong promotion focus with an ideal L2 self available in their professional-self concept. Prevention-focused students with an available ought-to L2 self preferred classroom experiences centered around grammar topics while those with a promotional focus preferred culture-based lessons. This study makes recommendations on how language educators could maximize students’ level of engagement by knowing their students’ motivational focus.
About the author
Maria Villalobos-Buehner is an Associate Professor of Spanish, World Language, ESL, and Bilingual Education at Rider University. Her scholarly work focuses primarily on language learning motivation, especially the roles of possible selves, perceived competence, and motivational foci in the process of learning and teaching a second language.
Appendix
First Interview
When I say “language”, what comes to your mind?
Why did you decide to enroll in Spanish, French, German, Italian?
Are you good at learning languages? Why?
How do you describe yourself as an L2 learner?
Probe: Imagine yourself in a classroom, how do you see yourself? What do you do?
What do you like about that culture?
Second Interview
What strategies do you use to learn it?
What is the most useful thing you do in class to learn the language?
Why is it useful?
At what moment in class, this semester was you most engaged as a learner?
At what moment were you most distanced as a learner?
What surprised you about this class this semester?
Possible-selves (Used in both interviews)
Who are you now?
How do you see yourself in 10 years?
How do you describe yourself in 5 or ten years from now in regards to your ability to listen, speak, read and write in … … … . (Spanish, French, German, etc.)?
If your dreams come true, you will …
How would you use this language in the future?
How relevant is this language in your future?
Describe what it means to be a good language speaker?
Ought-to-selves (Used in both interviews)
What would happen if you don’t take this class now?
How likely is it for you to continue your language study beyond this semester?
How important is the grade in this class?
How important is to study this language?
How many hours do you spend studying for this class?
Post interview comments or observation
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