Motivation and Second Language Acquisition

R.C. Gardner
University of Western Ontario
Olivia-Dumitrina Nechita
12/02/2015

Contents
Introduction
Motivation and language
Motivational constructs
Learning a second language
Stages in second language acquisition
Cultural and Educational contexts
Results in Spain
Conclusion

Introduction
Robert C. Gardner
Degree in psychology

University of Western Ontario

June, 2007

Stages of language acquisition

The role of motivation
Types of motivation

Motivation and language

1st language
Part of growing up

2nd language
Learnt in school

The motivated individual

Goal directed
Expends effort
Persistent
Attentive
Has desires and expectancies
Demonstrates self-confidence

Motivational constructs
Language learning
motivation
Characteristic of the
individual

Classroom learning
motivation
Individuals perception
of the task at hand
Teacher
Personal
characteristics

Materials
and
facilities

Course
content

Class
atmosphere

Learning a second language

Vocabulary cluster
Elements of the language
Easy to master

Cultural cluster
Make the language part of the
self
Bilingual skills due to
experience in other languages

Stages in language acquisition

Conscious
expression
Consolidation

Elemental

Automaticity
& Thought

Stages in language acquisition

Elemental
Basic vocabulary, grammar,
pronunciation....

Consolidation
Develop rules
Sentence structure
The understanding of
idioms

Stages in language acquisition

Conscious expression
Conscious effort
Use of speech
hesitations
Searching the right
words

Automaticity & Thought

Language and though are
automatic
Language and self become
interconnected

Cultural and Educational contexts

Cultural context and motivation
expectations

ideas

attitudes

beliefs

personality

North Americans

Europeans

Its very
difficult
todo esto.

All the day,

everyday,
bonsais.

Cultural and Educational contexts

Educational context
atmosphere

system

adequacy

quality

teacher skills

CULTURAL
CONTEXT

EDUCATIONAL
CONTEXT

Integrativeness

Attitudes

(openness)

toward the learning situation

Interest in other cultures

Absence of ethnocentrism
Integrative concept

Results in Spain

Variables
Attitude

E.S.O. 2
N=166

E.S.O. 4
N=136
.14

.18*

.32**

.37**

-.39**

-.38**

Instrumental Orientation

22**

.21**

Parental Encouragement

.12

.04

40**

.49**

Integrativeness
Language anxiety

Motivation

Conclusions
Integrative motivation vs. Instrumental motivation
a. The individual is motivated to learn the other language
b. The individual is learning the other language because of a
genuine interest in communicating with members of that
other language
c.

The individual has a favourable attitude toward the language

learning situation

The goal is acquisition

Language becomes part of
the self

Ideal native
speaker
competence?
What can
teachers do?