MOTIVATION AND ATTITUDES

Running head: MOTIVATION AND ATTITUDES

Motivation and attitudes

Anela Prnjak
University of Split

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Introduction

The concept of properly acquiring a second language as part of one's education is undoubtedly
a tedious task with plenty of challenges along the way. Some may even consider this process
something natural (e.g. being brought up in a bilingual speaking environment) and thus avoid
certain predicaments which may befall upon the average learner. Nevertheless, some variables
are practically omnipresent in human behaviour, and one such factor is the driving force
behind the acquisition of a particular skill, or in simpler terms; motivation.
Motivation, or a lack of it, can be a major deciding factor when it comes to
overcoming a rather difficult task, the likes of which is the acquisition of a second language.
Many a student face difficulties even mastering their mother tongue, or even grasping its basic
concepts, so it is no surprise that a second language might pose a task of gargantuan
proportions for most students. Oftentimes, a students lack of a proper driving force compels
them to stray and develop a tendency to take on paths which are easier to complete, simply to
overcome certain stages in their educational development. This issue may pose a serious
threat come adulthood. Students who develop poor learning habits almost certainly develop
poor working habits, so it is crucial to address the problem of motivation.
Ellis distances motivation from cognitive abilities, such as language aptitude, and most
scholars agree with him on the matter, since motivation involves the attitudes and affective
states that influence the degree of effort that learners make to learn an L2 (Ellis, 1997: 44).
The actual various kinds of motivation present will be detailed further in the paper.
The intent of this paper is to define the concept of motivation and explain its role in second
language acquisition. In order to introduce a wider array of serious and casual readers to the
topic, this paper will utilise material by expert scholars, all the while discussing it in a simpler

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form of English and showcasing examples from situations with which students are introduced
on an everyday basis.
Types of motivation
For many pupils in modern schools the reasons for the usage of a foreign language are
uncertain, but the necessity of knowing foreign languages is undeniable. Many will face
challenges in communication if they are limited to just one language, and their cognition of
foreign cultures will be stumped if they resort to only domestic influences and sources. When
it comes to adult learners who are returning to study in order to gain further education may
regard language learning as a hobby, or a sort of cultural pursuit which is a characteristic of
the educated person, or may simply have pressing reasons for wishing to communicate in
English (Hedge, 2000: 22). With all pupils, regardless of age, the aim is to build
communicative potential.
For some the ability to communicate with people in an international language might be
the biggest reason they take on studying a language other than their mother tongue. Naturally
this allows pupils to understand literature and various sources which were previously
unavailable. Some seek it to get better opportunities in terms of employment. There are
various elements present and all of these reasons can be classified easily through the four
main types of motivation. These usually encompass the idea of reaching a significant goal or
need, a desire to attain that same goal, and a perception that learning an L2 is relevant to
fulfilling that goal or meeting the need. This is accompanied by the belief in the likely success
(or failure) of learning an L2 and an understanding of the value of potential outcomes and
rewards (Saville-Troike, 2006: 86). The widely recognised main types of motivation are
instrumental, integrative, resultative and intrinsic/extrinsic.
Instrumental motivation

MOTIVATION AND ATTITUDES

Instrumental motivation usually defines the will to make an effort of learning an L2

for some practical and functional reason. These reasons include passing exams and
progressing in school, getting a better job or advancing in your employment in a similar
fashion, or even attaining a place at university. For some learners, a form of instrumental
motivation can be the major force determining success in L2 learning, e.g. in settings where
learners are motivated to learn an L2 because it opens up educational and economic
opportunities for them (Ellis, 1997: 44). Thus it is evident that instrumental motivation
involves perception of purely practical value in learning the L2. It is important to emphasise
that instrumental motivation has no inherent advantage over other motivations in terms of L2
achievement.
Integrative motivation
Integrative motivation is a type of motivation which is based on an interest in learning
an L2 because of a wish to associate with the language on a deeper personal level. It stems
from a desire to learn about the people who use it or associate with them. This can have
romantic reasons in its background or simply having the commodity to participate in an L2using speech community. (Saville-Troike, 2006: 86). Participation is key and the dominant
factors for that are either emotional or affective feelings. Some learners opt for learning a
particular L2 simply because they are interested in a specific culture represented by the target
group. An example provided by Ellis suggests that English speaking Canadians seek to learn
French as instructed by their integrative orientation, due to Canadas state as a bilingual
nation. However, he notes, this was not evident in all cases, as one study shows, less
integratively oriented Mexican women in California were more successful in learning English
as a second language than those who were more integratively oriented (Ellis, 1997: 44). It is
undeniable that personal preference plays a crucial role in every individuals approach to

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learning and changing customs, but no rule had been established in the context of acquiring a
social identity through learning an L2 other than that the motivation level is related to
personal reasons and traits.
These two motivation types are closely related to complex personal and social factors.
As established, if a member of a dominant group in a society were to take up L2 they would
benefit more from integrative motivation than by any other. And a learner from a subordinate
group learning L2 may be more influenced by instrumental motivation. Other reported
reasons for motivation include altruistic reasons, general communicative needs, desire to
travel, and intellectual curiosity (Saville-Troike, 2006: 86).
Instrumentality and integrativeness as orientations
H. Douglas Brown distinguishes two different clusters of attitudes when it comes to
motivation, and supported by the research of Robert Gardner and Wallace Lambert suggests
that instrumentality and integrativeness they be considered orientations rather than types of
motivation (Brown, 2007: 170). Brown agrees with the consensus that the instrumental side of
acquiring an L2 serves as a means for attaining instrumental goals, such as furthering a career,
reading technical material, and translation, whereas the integrative side best described learners
who wished to integrate themselves into the culture of the L2 group. But he states that
instrumentality and integrativeness are more appropriately termed orientations. The context of
the learners orientation determines which needs might be fulfilled in learning a foreign
language. If the learner strives for something academic or career related his orientation is
instrumental, and if he is seeking social or cultural enrichment it is integrative. Brown notes
that the importance of distinguishing orientation from motivation is that within either
orientation, one can have either high or low motivational intensity (Brown, 2007: 171). The

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intensity of ones motivation determines whether they would be only mildly or strongly
motivated within a certain context, for instance in a business environment.
Resultative motivation
Ellis proposes resultative motivation as another main type of motivation, and she
stems this deduction from the assumption that motivation is the cause of L2 achievement. She
goes on further to say that it is also possible that motivation is the result of learning (Ellis,
1997: 75). This approach suggests learners who experience success in learning may become
more motivated to learn. In a bilingual setting, success in learning one language may intensify
the speakers liking for the other language as well. It is important to accept both languages
and their respective cultures as valuable and treat them both seriously, otherwise a stagnation
of the speakers capabilities in one language may lead to a downfall in the capabilities of the
speaker in the other language. This double-edge effect can be avoided through constant work
and encouragement.
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Quite possibly the most powerful dimension of motivation when it comes to learning
an L2, the degree of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in pupils, greatly determines the
circumstances regarding ones approach to taking on a new language. Firstly, defining the
terms is necessary. Intrinsic motivation occurs when there is seemingly no reward except for
the sole idea of the activity itself, i.e. learning a new language. The key words in such
situations are competence, self-determination (Brown, 2007: 185). Ellis explains that with
some learners, a distinct attitude, whether positive or negative, is not necessary for them to
successfully take on a new language (Ellis, 1997: 45). Such learners simply find satisfaction
in the arousal and maintenance of curiosity. Naturally this effect can evolve into a personal
affection towards the given subject and thus develop into another kind of motivation.

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Nevertheless, a situation like this must stem from undefined intrinsic motivation. On the other
hand, an extrinsic motivation usually defines something that is fuelled by the anticipation of
pre-determined reward, something from outside. Generic extrinsic rewards are money,
fame, grades in school, and other semi-tangible prizes which can be considered a type of
positive feedback. Brown deems behaviour whose aim is to avoid punishment purely extrinsic
(Brown, 2007: 185) despite punishment avoidance being a challenge which can instil a sense
of competence and thus be considered intrinsic. Numerous researches declare intrinsic
motivation as being the more successful of the two types. The logic behind this lies in the
notion that we as human beings seek out challenges which we aim to surmount.
Attitudes in common situations
For the purpose of successfully analysing the role of motivation in a modern learners
education I have interviewed an Estonian student from the town of Tallinn regarding his road
to mastering an L2. The subject, Martin Mnnik, age 18, has been studying Estonian for most
of his life as his mother tongue. Due to the current socio-political conditions in Estonia,
Russian holds the status of an obligatory subject and all students are required to take on
Russian at the age of 14. On average they start learning English at the age of 7. When asked
about the motivation and reasoning behind his studies of Russian and English, the subject
states that all of his subjects must have passing grades in order to gain permission to take tests
which determine his chances of enrolling into college. Despite showing a lack of enthusiasm
for studying Russian, he is aware that it is a necessity and does it regardless of the lack of
intrinsic motivation. In regards to learning English, he expresses the lack of opportunity for a
proper employment if he remains in Estonia as the main motivator, and the unnervingly low
chances of communication with the outside world provide further incentive.

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From this example it is evident how multiple types of motivation play crucial roles in
the education of a learner of English as an L2. Both the subject and the interviewer agree that
the sources of motivation will change for the subject upon his completion of high school. A
conclusion can be drawn that a varying number of elements play roles in determining what
motivates each individual.
Conclusion
It is undeniable that motivation is a complex construct of numerous variables which
must be applied to each person individually to properly deduce the reasoning behind making
certain decisions and instructing the individual with further actions. Naturally, the four main
types of motivation presented should not be considered exclusive of the others. No learner is
ever binary in their studies, nor could their personality be defined by simple definitions. Types
of motivations should be accepted as mutually complementary, because they all serve the
same task. A learner can both be integratively and instrumentally motivated at the same time,
in various extents respectively. Logic dictates that a person at a young age, especially one
partaking in a serious education be exposed to various influences. Their further progress can
be estimated by the motivation they have towards achieving their goals. Simultaneously they
can seek acceptance from their foreign language speaking peers as well as look forward to the
merits of being highly educated in a competitive business environment, the characteristics of a
time which surely awaits them. We must not forget the fact that motivation is anything but a
constant. No learners motivation remains steady from the beginning of their journey until the
end of it. Luckily this means that the negativity garnered from experienced failures or
demotivational events can be just as easily averted and substituted by positive influence.
Whatever elements are present; there is a consistency with the saying that every learner needs
some form of motivation to achieve progress. This duty rests upon the shoulders of all

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professors with which the student comes into contact, as well as upon those closest to him out
of the classroom. The key to making this achievable lies in proper communication and an
understanding of the type of student and their needs.

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References

Ellis, R. (1997), Second Language Acquisition, Oxford, 44-174.

Hedge, P. (2000), Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom, Oxford, 22-464.
Saville- Troike M. (2006), Introducing Second Language Acquisition, 86-217.
Brown, H. D. (2007), Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, Longman, 170-200.