The L2 Motivational Self System and L2 Proficiency : Comparison of Finnish and Korean EFL University Students
Laitinen, Mila (2018-03-19)
The L2 Motivational Self System and L2 Proficiency : Comparison of Finnish and Korean EFL University Students
Laitinen, Mila
(19.03.2018)
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Turun yliopisto
Tiivistelmä
The main purpose of this thesis was to study English learning motivation and its relationship with L2 proficiency among Finnish and South Korean university students. In addition, the relationship between intended learning efforts, motivation and proficiency was investigated. Additionally, Finnish and Korean students’ self-images as EFL learners were examined and compared, by considering the educational and the cultural contexts of both countries. The motivation theory used in the current study, the L2 Motivational Self System, was designed by Zoltán Dörnyei (2005), and it proposes that the vivid ideal image of oneself as a learner is often a strong motivator in L2 learning because the learner puts more effort to achieve that ideal self.
The present study was a quantitative study. The participants were 86 university students, of whom 43 were Finnish and 43 were Korean. Motivation was measured with a questionnaire which included 46 items from three components of the Self System; ideal L2 self, ought to self, and L2 learning experience, and additionally, a variable of intended learning efforts was included. As the proficiency measurement method, a vocabulary test for advanced learners was used. The test consisted of 60 strings of letters and the participants’ task was to decide whether the string was an existing English word or not.
The study results showed that the relationship between motivation and proficiency is rather complex; there was a correlation only between ideal L2 self and proficiency in the Finnish group. Furthermore, intended learning efforts did not correlate with proficiency, but correlated with motivation. The results suggest that intended learning efforts do not always have a direct connection with high proficiency, and high proficiency can be achieved without high self-reported motivational behaviour. In addition, the educational and cultural context seemed to cause the Korean students to possess stronger ought to selves. For further research, it could be beneficial to include qualitative methods to better grasp individual learners’ experiences and qualities. Furthermore, as motivation is a dynamic entity and can change over time, a longitudinal research design could give a clearer picture of the fluctuation of motivation and its relationship with achievement.
The present study was a quantitative study. The participants were 86 university students, of whom 43 were Finnish and 43 were Korean. Motivation was measured with a questionnaire which included 46 items from three components of the Self System; ideal L2 self, ought to self, and L2 learning experience, and additionally, a variable of intended learning efforts was included. As the proficiency measurement method, a vocabulary test for advanced learners was used. The test consisted of 60 strings of letters and the participants’ task was to decide whether the string was an existing English word or not.
The study results showed that the relationship between motivation and proficiency is rather complex; there was a correlation only between ideal L2 self and proficiency in the Finnish group. Furthermore, intended learning efforts did not correlate with proficiency, but correlated with motivation. The results suggest that intended learning efforts do not always have a direct connection with high proficiency, and high proficiency can be achieved without high self-reported motivational behaviour. In addition, the educational and cultural context seemed to cause the Korean students to possess stronger ought to selves. For further research, it could be beneficial to include qualitative methods to better grasp individual learners’ experiences and qualities. Furthermore, as motivation is a dynamic entity and can change over time, a longitudinal research design could give a clearer picture of the fluctuation of motivation and its relationship with achievement.