From Motivation to Learn to Motivation to Speak

Abstract:

Motivation is the inner driving force that conduces to action taken in a specific situation. The degree or intensity of this force has a direct impact on a successful fulfillment of the action. While orientation refers to a class of reasons for learning a language, motivation refers to a combination of the learner’s attitudes, desires, and willingness to expend effort in order to learn the second language. This paper first discusses the motivation of the language learners to learn the language as a whole (combination of skills) and then discusses that there is a narrowed down type of motivation which shows the willingness to the language learners to orally express themselves. The authors concluded that this type of narrowed down motivation should be named motivation to speak rather than willingness to communicate. The authors believe that there is a necessity to develop an instrument which technically measures the motivation to speak on the part of the language learners.

Key words: language acquisition, motivation to learn, motivation to speak, orientation

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Good Language Learner and the Use of Affective Strategies: A Case Study of an Iranian Advanced EFL Learner

Abstract:

In the field of second language learning, the dichotomy of good language learners vs. poor language learners has always been a controversial issue drawing the attention of many researchers. One of the areas in which good language learners have been reported to have a good command relates to language learning strategies (LLS). For this purpose, the present research was developed to investigate specifically the use of affective strategies by a sample successful language learner. Accordingly, an Iranian advanced EFL learner was selected at Sharif English Language Institute in Asadabad, Hamedan. This study was qualitative in nature, since no statistical operations were mainly applied, rather the researcher tried to analyze and interpret the obtained data in a descriptive qualitative form. Three instruments including Oxford’s (1990) SILL, an informal interview as well as observations were used in order to gather the necessary data for analysis. Relying on the frequency of strategy use, it was revealed that the participant had an acceptable command over the whole strategies in general and the affective strategies in specific. However, affective strategies had a lower use compared to metacognitive, social, and compensation strategies. The reasons for the choice of each affective strategy have been discussed in detail and certain implications have been pointed out both for language learners and language teachers.

Key words: language learning strategies, good language learner, affective strategies

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