MTESOL021A- GROUP 1

Phạm Văn Cầu

Lê Thị Mỹ Lợi
Nguyễn Ngọc Mai Khanh
Hoàng Ngọc Minh
Trần Cát Tường

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: WRING AN ARTICLE CRITIQUE

It is widely believed that L2 motivation can be defined as a fundamental long-term

factor in second language learners' success in acquiring the target language. Learners
with exceptional ability cannot achieve their long-term goals unless they are sufficiently
motivated. Besides that, proper curriculum and effective instruction are not enough to
guarantee students' success on their own. The article “L2 Motivational Self System
Among Arab EFL Learners: Saudi Prespective” is aimed at examining the feasibility of
the L2 motivation self-system tripartite model in a Saudi context and analyzing three
components of this system. While this article yielded significant results showing the Ideal
L2 and Language Learning Experiences both made significant contributions to learners'
English learning endeavors, there are some limitations related to the literature review, the
research methods, and the findings that will be discussed below.

Ali Alshahrani (2016) conducted a survey of roughly 400 Saudi male college
students majoring in English in an actual EFL context with two main objectives: to assess
the validity of the L2 Motivational Self system as a way of describing L2 motivation and
to examine if the ideal L2 self can be correlated with integrativness. The study looked at
the students' English backgrounds which are important in determining and maintaining
students' L2 learning motivation.

Before showing an important investigation of the important role of students’ English

background in shaping and sustaining learning motitvation and the validity of the
motivational L2 self system tripartite model, Alshehri Ali carefully presented the

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background of actions constituting integrative orientation and the integrative concept
affecting L2 motivation. He pointed out how language learners’ perceptions affect their
learning process due to the perception of English as a global language. The researcher
also successfully illustrated a new movitational paradigm by Dornyei (2005) including
three main dimensions: the Ideal L2, the Ough-to L2 and the L2 learning experience. Not
only has the author presented some valuable new information, he has also presented it in
a very vivid and coherent manner. Despite its many strengths, there are two small, but
important weaknesses. The researcher did not provide some examples to strongly
emphasize the Ideal L2 and the Ought-to L2, which would make it difficult to understand
these two dimensions. Furthermore, the literature review would be strengthened if it
included more information about the complexity that rapid development and
globalization have created.

With regards to the study sample, English majors on a campus in southern Saudi Arabia
were requested to complete an online survey. The latent variables in the model were then
examined using a series of six-point Likert scale items. Despite the fact that the
participants’ English backgrounds were thoroughly assessed and the instrument was
excellent, there are several weaknesses in the target study sample. The researchers solely
focused on a specific group of students (male students) in a single environment
(Southern Saudi Arabia) but did not expand to different types of students. In particular,
only male students were chosen for the study. As a result, the methods were unable to
bring up objective and adequate findings. Diversifying the objects and circumstances for
future study is necessary.

After generating an early draft of the questionnaire scales, the researcher had a carefully-
translated questionnaire by the professional translators with the goal of making it
apparent for the participants to manage the survey. The researcher indicated the reworded
problematic aspects, but he provides little information about them for the readers to
perceive the survey. While emphasizing the approach of interpreting the obtained data by
using SPSS, he had no further clarification of the reason as well as the benefit of doing

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so. The researcher contributed the conceivable and valuable findings of factors
influencing the L2 motivational model in the Saudi context through two tables. However,
had the author formulated Table 2 involving the bond between the ideal L2 self and
integrativeness, the readers would have been able to figure out their connection so as to
enhance their English learning capacity and impulse as well. What’s more, The Peason
correlation analysis was conducted to reveal the linear correlations that existed between
the model factors and to determine their strength. Pearson's analysis, on the other hand, is
assumed to just reveal the existence and type of link, rather than providing information
on the slope of the line. A scatter plot must be used to determine the slope. When
examining the link between the model's three main components, researchers should
consider alternatives to the correlation coefficient, such as the ICC (Intraclass
correlation) and the limits of agreement combined with a Bland–Altman plot. On the
other hand, Multiple regression analysis with Stepwise has been used to determine which
motivating factors operate as the best predictor variables when it comes to Saudi EFL
learners' motivated learning behavior. The main shortcomings of Stepwise multiple
regression are bias in parameter estimation, discrepancies in model selection algorithms,
an inherent (but often neglected) problem of multiple hypothesis testing, and an
inappropriate focus or dependence on a single best model.

In his study to investigate language learning motivation, Ali Ayed S. Alshahrani

affirms the effectiveness of the fundamental components of the L2 Self System paradigm
as well as its applicability in the Saudi setting. Moreover, The results showed that the
Ideal L2 and Language Learning Experiences made significant contributions to the
learners' stated efforts in learning English as the criteria measure. However, the study still
reveals limitations due to inadequacies in the definition of the three dimensions, the
selection and assessment of the research sample, and the correlation analysis chosen.
Consequenly, future studies should consult with both internal and external motivational
elements in the Saudi setting, as well as apply structural equation modeling to analyze a
motivational model that incorporates Dornier's tripartite model.

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