Motivation and identity in language learning: current perspectives

Ema Ushioda Centre for Applied Linguistics University of Warwick

Background

 ‘

given motivation

, it is inevitable that a human being will learn a second language, if he is exposed to the language data’ (Corder 1967: 164)  Four decades of change since then … globalisation and global spread of English  Language motivation theory only recently catching up with these changes …

What does ‘integrative motivation’ mean now?

 Reflecting ‘a sincere and personal interest in the people and culture represented by the other group’ (Gardner & Lambert 1972: 132)  Strong versus weak forms  The case of English as global language (Crystal 2003) and English as basic educational skill (Graddol 2006) – who is the target reference group?

 Critical voices: Pavlenko (2002), Coetzee Van Rooy (2006)

Re-theorising language motivation

 ‘international posture’ (Yashima 2002, 2009)  Theoretical shift of focus to internal domain of self and identity  Dörnyei & Csizér 2002; Dörnyei et al. 2006  Theory of possible selves (Markus & Nurius 1986)  L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei 2005, 2009):

ideal

and

ought-to

selves  Motivation and identity (Lamb 2004, 2009)

Motivation and identity: language learners as people

    Motivation theory has tended to focus on models and learners as abstractions Limitations of linear models:

Sean’s story …

Current shift in focus to self and identity  need to address real social identities people bring to the language classroom ‘Understanding second language learners as people’ (Lantolf & Pavlenko 2001)  Person-in-context relational view of motivation (Ushioda 2009)

Person-in-context relational view of motivation (Ushioda 2009)

A focus on real persons, rather than on learners as theoretical abstractions; a focus on the agency of the individual person as a thinking, feeling, human being, with an identity, a personality, a unique history and background; a person with goals, motives and intentions; a focus on the interactions between this self-reflective agent, and the fluid and complex web of social relations, activities, experiences and multiple micro- and macro-contexts in which the person is embedded, moves and is inherently part of. We need to take a relational (rather than linear) view of these multiple contextual elements and see motivation as an organic process that emerges through the complex system of interrelations.

Insights from autonomy theory & practice

 A concern with the learner as a fully rounded person, with a social identity, situated in a particular context (Riley 2003:239)  Encourage Ss to develop and express their own identities through the language they are learning  Legenhausen 1999: comparing conversation practice in traditional communicative vs autonomous classrooms

German students in traditional communicative classroom (Legenhausen 1999) S: How old are you?

A: I’m twelve years old. And you?

S: Eleven.

A: Ehm. Do you live in a house or in a flat?

S: I live in a house in Olfen.

A: I live in a flat in Olfen, too. (..) Ehm, eh.

S: What’s your telephone number?

A: My telephone number is three five seven five, and what’s your tele / telephone number?

S: My telephone number is ehm three two two two (..) A: Ah, ah, do you like school?

S: Yes, sometimes.

Danish students in ‘autonomous’ classroom (Legenhausen 1999) C: What shall we talk about?

M: I don’t know. What do you think?

C: Ah, we could talk about yesterday.

M: Ok.

C: [What did you?] M: [What did you?] (laughing) M: What did you do?

C: Well, I went home from school, and I write (..) some some music for my music group.

M: Yeah.

C: We shall play here Friday, after school, we have (..) borrowed a a room with drums and guitars, and so (..) we’re going to (..) record a tape, with our songs.

M: How many are you in your group?

Speaking as themselves: motivation & transportable identities

 Richards 2006: analysis of classroom talk (drawing on Zimmerman 1998)  situated identities (T – S, doctor – patient)  discourse identities (initiator, questioner …)  transportable identities (mother of two, keen tennis player, avid science fiction fan)  Motivational impact of invoking Ss’ own transportable identities in classroom talk

And the motivational consequences of not orienting to Ss’ own transportable identities in the language classroom …?

 Student:

I am feeling bad. My grandfather he die last week and I am …

 Teacher:

No – not die – say died because it’s in the past

(Scrivener 1994:19)

Motivation, transportable identities & future possible selves

 Future possible selves (ideal & ought-to selves) can have strong psychological reality in the

current

imaginative experiences of learners (Dörnyei 2009)  Engaging Ss’ transportable identities and ‘selves’ through L2 use now  may help them imagine future possible selves as L2 users