Language learning motivation in Japan:

How far have we have travelled ? 　What do we need to evolve further?

Yoshiyuki Nakata 　

Hyogo University of Teacher Education, Japan

JALT CUE “Foreign Language Motivation in JapanJuly 2, 2011 (Toyo Gakuen University, Japan)

What is motivation?

Why motivation is so difficult to pin

down?

Why does each of us see motivation

differently?

1. Student motivation

2. Motivation versus motives

3. A multifaceted nature of motivation

4. Multiple perspectives of motivation

5. Various research methods

6. Different agendas (i.e., teachers, SLA researchers, teacher

educators)

7. L2 motivation research literature

8. Teacher educator’s challenge

9. Towards communication (i.e., learners, teachers,

SLA researchers, teacher educators)

To address these issues, I will discuss ……

• the term teacher educator here is used to refer to those teaching theories of motivation at graduate courses (whether in the field of SLA, educational psychology or teacher education).

My perspective: A teacher educator

My agenda:

How teacher educators (who are also motivation researchers)

can help teachers

to find ways to motivate their learners in the school context with full of limitations and constraints. (Nakata, 2009, 2010)

1. What is student motivation?

In the classroom context, the concept of student motivation is used to explain the degree to which students invest attention and effort in various pursuits, which may or may not be the ones desired by their teachers.

　　 Student motivation is rooted in students’ subjective

experiences, especially those connected to their willingness to engage in lessons and learning activities and their reasons for doing so. 　

(Brophy, 2004, p. 4) 　　　　　　　　　　　

• Motives …

hypothetical constructs used to explain why people are doing what they are dong

　 (Brophy, 2004, pp. 3–4)

2. Motivation versus motives

Motivation versus motives

•  Motivation …

is a theoretical construct used to explain the initiation, direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of behavior, especially goal-directed behavior…

(Brophy, 2004, pp. 3–4)　　　

3. A multifaceted nature of motivation

• The social milieu

• The expectancy aspect

• The value aspect

(Brophy, 2008)

The social milieu

the place in which the learning takes place(e.g., the degree to which it is supportive vs. threatening;

addressing such questions about the classroom climate, learning community, classroom goal, etc.)

The expectancy aspect

the learner’s attributions, expectations, and self-efficacy perceptions (prospects for achieving learning goals; implications of success and failure;

addressing such questions as “What are my chances for succeeding here?” or “How can I protect my reputation if I fail?”)

The value aspect

the degree to which the learner values the opportunity to engage in the learning activity and acquire the knowledge or skills that it develops

addressing such questions such as “Why should I care about this?” or “What will I get out of it?”

　

Intervention Strategies Teacher-Directed 　

Student Self-Regulated

Social/Cultural Classroom Internal Factors MotivatedContext Contextual (Beliefs and Behavior Factors perceptions) 　　

Cultural Classroom Student motivatioal Actualfactors factors beliefs and emotions 　

observable　　　

behaviors 　

Figure. 1

Part of “An Integrated Model of Student Motivation in the Classroom”(Dembo, M. H., & Eaton, M. J., 1997, p. 69 (adapted from Pintrich, 1994)

1. Learners or teachers (i.e., learners’ mind or teaching)

2. Educational context in general or specific context

3. The whole classroom or individual learners

4. Language learners in general or specific group of

language learners

5. Psychological aspect or behavioral aspect

(or both)

6. Affect or cognition (or both)

(Nakata, in press)

4. Multiple perspectives of motivation

１． Quantitative research and qualitative research

2. Cross-sectional research and longitudinal research

3. Outsider research and insider research

(i.e., researcher’s positioning)

(see Table 1 in the handout for further details)

5. Research methods in L2 motivation research

• For many SLA researchers, the main agenda is …

to contribute to the academic literature

in the hope that teachers can learn from their findings.

6. Different agendas: SLA researchers, teachers, and teacher educators

• the main concern is simply to improve their own teaching in their day-to-day practice.

For most classroom teachers, however, ….

• to help teachers to find effective ways of motivating their students

or

teach them how to discern and utilize the existing motivational theories for their own purposes.

The agenda for many teacher educators, then, naturally becomes ….

Figure.2 Part of “An Integrated Model of Student Motivation in the Classroom”(Dembo, M. H., & Eaton, M. J., 1997, p. 69 (adapted from Pintrich, 1994)

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*(Red colored parts mine)

　

Intervention Strategies 　 Teacher-Directed 　

Student Self-Regulated

Social/Cultural Classroom Internal Factors Motivated

Context Contextual 　 (Beliefs and Behavior

Factors 　 perceptions) 　　

Cultural Classroom Student motivatioal Actual

factors factors beliefs and emotions observable

　　　 behaviors 　

Teacher’s perspective (motivational strategies, demotivation)

The social melieu(social psychological approach)

Expectancy: attributions, expectations, self-efficacy, demotivation (educational psychological approach)

Learners’ perspective

Intrinsic Value

Teachereducator’sperspective

SLA researchers’ perspective

Approach/Theme 　 1960 // 1990 1995 2000 2005 Present

Motives Motivation

Social psychology

Educational psychology

Sociocultural theory

Social constructivism

Motivational strategies

Demotivation

Practitioner research

Self-motivation 　　

　 Social Milieu Expectancy Value

　　　　　

Figure 3 (Nakata, in press; see Table 2 in handout for details)

7. History of L2 motivation research　

• To change learners’ perceptions of English

from a compulsory classroom subject

to an internally valued subject

8. Teacher Educator’s challenge

　　　　　　　　　　

Intrinsic valueFigure. 4

A developmental process model of intrinsic motivation: The prerequisite components (Nakata,2010)

Surface level of intrinsic motivation

(autonomy,Self-regulation)

Core level of intrinsic motivation

Language proficiency

Language learning

strategies

teachers, parents, and students believed to have contributed to success at school:

(a) having interest in (kyomi or kanshin) 　　　　 or liking (suki or tanoshii) to study,　 (b) having a willingness or desire (yaruki) to study;　　　　 and

(c) having the right attitude (taido) for studying [i.e.,behavior] (the U.S. Department of Education, 1998)

Three categories of motivationin the Japanese educational context

• Enjoyment

• Meaningfulness

• Willingness to continue learning

(Nakata, 2009b)

My view of intrinsic motivation

• Learners

• Teachers

• SLA researchers

• Teacher educators

9. Towards communication

Figure 5.A model: Learners, teachers, teacher educators,

and SLA researchers

SLA Researchers

Teacher Educators

Teachers

Learners

SLA researchers

Teacher Teachers educators

Figure 6.Triadic aspects of agendas with regard to motivation

Quantitative - SLA researchers - Qualitative   

Teacher 　 educators as

mediators  

Teachers 

Learners

Figure 7. SLA researchers, teacher educators, and teachers in motivation research

• what kind of data motivation researchers

can provide for teachers,

and

• how teacher educators can help teachers to

appreciate the finding of motivation

research.

The important questions to be addressed further

• the fertile grounds still exist for research on student motivation.

Undoubtedly….