Motivational factors that impact English language learning in an Arab model school, Jordan : an empirical investigation

AbstractMotivation is one of key factors impacting successful English language learning in EFL settings. In order that language is acquired effectively by learners, it is essential that factors that motivate language learning be identified. In Jordan, mastering English language has become a critical issue as students need to pass Tajwahi, university entrance English test before furthering their studies at tertiary level which will secure them a professional job and high status in society in future. Hence, this study investigates factors that motivate high school Jordanian students to learn English in an Arab Model School. The research design adopted was mixed-methods approach. The sample comprised 80 10th grade students. The socio-educational model by Gardner (1985) was used as theoretical framework for this study. A questionnaire adapted from Gardner's (1985) Attitude/Motivation Test Battery was used to elicit information on motivational factors that influenced students' learning of English. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse data. Interviews were also conducted with 10 students selected from sample to gain in-depth insights into above-mentioned motivating factors. The findings of study depicted four factors in descending order of importance: parental encouragement, social factor, desire to learn English, and teacher's style. The findings were significant in providing information to relevant authorities so that efforts can be taken as appropriate to motivate students to acquire English language effectively for their educational and professional benefits in future.Keywords: language motivation, language learning, acquisition, EFL, proficiencyINTRODUCTIONMotivation is key to learning (Dornyei, 2001). It refers to inner source, desire, emotion, reason, need, impulse or purpose that moves an individual towards a particular action. Gardner (1985) defines second language acquisition (L2) as the extent to which an individual works or strives to learn language because of a desire to do so and satisfaction experienced in this activity (p.10). Ormrod (2000) states that motivation is something that energizes, directs and sustains behavior; it gets students moving, points them in a particular direction, and keeps them going. From perspective of social psychology, Moiinvaziri (2008) claims that learning a target language is linked to individual's social dispositions towards target language community. In essence, Gardner (1990) describes in second or foreign language learning as comprising three main elements, i.e. first, a desire to learn language, second, effort expended towards learning language and third, favourable attitudes towards learning language. In other words, in learning a foreign language is a process in which a learner has desire, persistence and a positive attitude to achieve goal of learning target language. Other definitions of can be categorized under behaviourism, cognitivism and constructivism (Brown, 2007). With reference to second language acquisition in particular, is best classified as extrinsic versus intrinsic and integrative versus instrumental motivation. Gardner and Lambert (1972) suggests that a learner who is integratively-motivated learns a language to be identified with wider target language community. An instrumentally-motivated learner, on other hand, learns target language to achieve functional goals such as obtaining a degree, gain social recognition or a good job. In their study in Canada, findings suggest that learners of French language with an integrative motive achieved higher proficiency in language learning as compared to those who were instrumentally-motivated.Research conducted by Gardner concentrated on as well as other factors that impacted a learner's success in L2 acquisition . …

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