The Important Of Motivation for Learning Second Language

UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION

     Human beings are created by their natural language skills, but are the second language is also one of human’s natural ability? Certainly not, as a second language, third, fourth, and so on which is not  spoken and used everyday, then everyone needs to learn and go through several processes to be mastered it. The process required times of course; some person takes a long time, but not a few who only need a short time. And to go through the process, I believe that humans need motivation to stay afloat in a process.

     Why I think there must be some sort of motivation to learn a second language? Because most people learn at least one language, and often children from a bilingual home learn two languages, apparently with ease. Moreover, these people speak the language, they understand the language, and often they both read and write it, so why should motivation be important? Because that generally language is an integral part of growing up (which provides motivation in its own right), and is necessary to communicate and participate in ones environment. Often, this is not the case for second languages, especially those learned in school. There are many advantages for knowing other languages but they are not absolutely necessary, and as a consequence, motivation (as well as ability) can play an important role in learning a second language. And there are many things that can affect this motivation.

    Motivation has been widely accepted by both teachers and researchers as one of the key factors that influence the rate and success of second/foreign language learning. Motivation provides the primary impetus to initiate learning the second language and later the driving force to sustain the long and often tedious learning process; indeed, all the other factors involved in second language acquisition presuppose motivation to some extent. Without sufficient motivation, even individuals with the most remarkable abilities cannot accomplish long-term goals, and neither are appropriate curricula and good teaching enough on their own to ensure student achievement. On the other hand, high motivation can make up for considerable deficiencies bohinone's language aptitude and learning conditions.

     As we know that motivation its self is divided into two, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. Then how the two forms of motivation are able to help in learning a second language? I hope this paper can tell the importance of motivation in second language acquisition and to demonstrate that it is more complex than merely wanting to learn the language.

On this paper I want to focus on 2 points, they are:

1. How motivations are able to help in learning a second language?

2. What is the different between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?

 

UNIT 2

Discussion

2.2 The Important Of Motivation In Learning Second Language

      These points are central to understanding by a student general level of  motivation to learn a second language as well as the specific motivation that exists in any language class or other language learning situation. Motivation is a very complex phenomenon with many facets. In fact, in 1981, Kleinginna and Kleinginna presented 102 statements about the construct. It really isn’t possible to give a simple definition of motivation, though one can list many characteristics of the motivated individual. For example, the motivated individual is goal directed, expends effort, is persistent, is attentive, has desires (wants), exhibits positive affect is aroused, has expectancies, demonstrates self-confidence (self-efficacy), and has reasons (motives).

     As we can see some of these characteristics are cognitive in nature, some are affective, and some are behavioural. Motivation to learn a second language is not a simple construct. It

cannot be measured by one scale; perhaps the whole range of motivation cannot be assessed by even three or four scales. It definitely cannot be assessed by merely asking individuals to give reasons for why they think learning a language is important to them.

     When considering motivation and second language learning or acquisition, it is possible to consider two types of motivational constructs. Our research has always contended that there are in essence two types of motivation that should be considered when referring to second language acquisition, and I am not referring here to the integrative-instrumental dichotomy (or even the intrinsic-extrinsic one) that is often discussed in the research literature. I refer instead to the distinction between language learning motivation and classroom learning motivation.

    By language learning motivation, this type of motivation is considered in the socio-educational model of second language acquisition (Gardner, 1985), the social context model (Clément, 1980), the Self determination model (Noels, & Clément, 1996), the Willingness to Communicate model (MacIntyre, Clément, Dörnyei, & Noels,1998), and the extended motivational framework (Dörnyei, 1994) to name a few. It is a general form of motivation relevant in any second language-learning context. It is not a trait, as some individuals contend, but it is a general characteristic of the individual that applies to any opportunity to learn the language. It is relatively stable, because of its presumed antecedents, but it is unable to change under certain 3 conditions. The various models referred to above all agree that it as an attribute with significant implications for the individual; they differ in terms of its antecedents and/or correlates, as well as in how it might be assessed.

     The second class of motivation is classroom learning motivation, specifically the language classroom. This is the type of motivation emphasized by Heckhausen and Kuhl (1985); it is the type characterized by Dörnyeis tripartite pre-actional, actional and post-actional motivation, and is common to educational psychology in general. It is also represented in the

socio-educational model of second language acquisition, though it is considered an integral part of motivation in general (Gardner, 1985). It refers to the motivation in the classroom situation, or in any specific situation. The focus is on the individuals perception of the task at hand, and is largely state oriented. Obviously, it will be influenced by a host of factors associated with the language class. Thus, it is clear that the teacher, the class atmosphere, the course content, materials and facilities, as well as personal characteristics of the student (such as studiousness, etc.,) will have an influence on the individual classroom learning motivation. In the socio educational model, we contend that it will also be influenced by the general language learning motivation referred to above. Of course, in a very real sense, one cannot distinguish between the two types of motivation. They operate on the individual at any given time, but it is meaningful to consider that both of them are operative.

     Just as it is difficult to propose a simple definition of motivation, it is also difficult to provide a simple definition of what it means to learn a second language. In his seminal research on bilingual development, W. E. Lambert (1955; 1956a,b,c) identified what he referred to as two clusters in the process of becoming bilingual, the Vocabulary cluster and the Cultural cluster. In his research, he contrasted the language behavior of three groups of individuals in his study conducted in the USA. One group was comprised of 14 Undergraduates majoring in French, another consisted of 14 graduate students majoring in French, and the third was a group of 14 native French speaking individuals who had lived for at least 7 years in the USA and who used English on a daily basis.

     He compared the three groups on a number of measures of French proficiency and French-English bilingualism involving word association and reaction time measures, and found as 4

expected that performance improved from the undergraduates to the graduates to the French

native speakers. On some measures, however, there were no significant differences among the groups; on others there were no significant differences between the undergraduate and graduate students, while on other measures, the graduate students were significantly better than the undergraduates but significantly inferior to the native French speakers. On the basis of these results, he proposed that there was a distinct pattern in the growth of proficiency and bilingual skills due to experience in the other language. He concluded that there were a series of barriers to overcome in the process of language acquisition. He identified one as a vocabulary cluster, by which he meant the elements of the language, not simply individual vocabulary items. This he felt was a relatively easy stage to master. Another, and much more difficult one, he identified as the cultural cluster. He claimed that to overcome this barrier it was necessary for the individual to make the language part of the self. He also hypothesized that there may be other phases an individual must master in the process of learning a language.

2.2 Intrinsic And Extrinsic

     Intrinsic-extrinsic motivation distinction has been discussed in over 800 publications. There have been mainly two types of definitions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in psychology. First, Kruglanski (1975) introduced endogenous-exogenous attribution, which refers to means-goal categories. That is, endogenous action means an end in itself. For example, persons who have endogenous attribution learn English without special reasons and enjoy it. Their goal is only to learn English. Exogenous action refers to “a means that mediates a further goal, one exogenous to it” Kruglanski, 1975, p. 390）. For example, persons who have exogenous attribution study English for external reasons, such as for careers and entrance examinations. Kruglanski stated that endoge-nous action is linked with intrinsic motivation.

     Second, Heider (1958）introduced perceived locus of causality （PLOC）, referring to actions or outcomes which can be perceived as personally caused or as a result of impersonal causes. Personal causality refers to “instances in which P causes x intentionally”（Heider, 1958, p. 100）. For example, persons who have personal causality do it on their own and their goal is to get an object. Impersonal causality refers to instances in which “P may cause x unintentionally merely because his physical or social being exerts some influence on the environment” （Heider, 1958, p. 100). For example, persons who have impersonal causality do something with unconscious motivations and goals.

     In addition, deCharms (1968/1983) expanded Heider’s concept and proposed origin and pawn. “An Origin is a person whoperceives his behavior as determined by his own choosing; a Pawn is a person who perceives his behavior as determined by external forces beyond his control”（deCharms, 1968/1983, p.273. An origin is intrinsically motivated, whereas a pawn is extrinsically motivated（deCharm, 1968/1983).

     On the basis of these concepts, Deci and Ryan（1985) proposed a self-determination theory. There are different types of extrinsic motivation, some of which are more internalized into the self-concept than others, i.e., more self-determined than others Deci & Ryan, 1985. For example, children who are not initially motivated to perform can be gradually motivated. Ryan, Connell and Deci（1985）stated that there is a shift from extrinsic control to self-regulation under certain conditions: internalization, referring to the process through which organisms transform regulation by external events into regulation by internal events (Ryan et al., 1985 ). Within the field of education, there are four levels of extrinsic motivation: external regulation, interjected regulation, identified regulation, and integrated regulation （Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2002).

     The most autonomous form of extrinsic motivation is integrated regulation. Ryan et al.（1985)stated that “all the various identifications or values that one holds are integrated with one another into a coherent, conflict-free hierarchy, and thus allow for smooth autonomous choice and functioning”（p. 36). Integrated regulation represents full self-determination, which results from the integration of the identification into one’s unified sense of self (Deci & Ryan, 1985). Ryan reported that there was a significant decrease with both age and grade in the degree of extrinsic regulation. Interjected and identified regulations, however, showed little change during grades three through six.

     How different are autonomous extrinsic motivation, such as identified and integrated regulations, and intrinsic motivation? Because identified and integrated regulations are relatively self-determined kinds of extrinsic motivation, they can be considered close to intrinsic motivation（Deci & Ryan, 2002). However, autonomous extrinsic motivation differs from intrinsic motivation. Although learners who have autonomous extrinsic motivation may find activities important for self-selected goals or purposes, learners who have intrinsic motivation might find activities interesting and fun (Deci & Ryan, 2002).

     On the basis of self-determination, Hayamizu（1993）assumes that “two kinds of motivation are located on a continuous dimension not having an absolute border line and that extrinsic motivation may be changed into intrinsic motivation”（p. 86). Hayamizu suggests the construct of a belief of link, which refers to the conviction of the changeability from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation. Hayamizu（1995) also suggests that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are not dichotomous, but continuous.

UNIT 3

CONCLUSION

     Everyone has to know that in learning a second language it’s important to having motivation. Motivation is a very complex phenomenon with many facets. Actually, it really isn’t possible to give a simple definition of motivation. But let I try to conclude that motivation is the driving force that causes the flux from desire to will in life. There are many cause of motivation, some are cognitive cause, some are affective, and some are behavior cause. And everyone have their own combination causes to create their own motivation.

     Even there are many person have other statement about it, but let we conclude motivation it’s self is divided into two, there are Extrinsic and Intrinsic. Most of motivation in extrinsic are come from outside the person, for example the will to reach some goals. And most of motivation in Intrinsic are come from inside its person.  On the basis of these concepts, Deci and Ryan（1985) proposed a self-determination theory. There are different types of extrinsic motivation, some of which are more internalized into the self-concept than others, i.e., more self-determined than others Deci & Ryan, 1985. For example, children who are not initially motivated to perform can be gradually motivated. Ryan, Connell and Deci（1985）stated that there is a shift from extrinsic control to self-regulation under certain conditions: internalization, referring to the process through which organisms transform regulation by external events into regulation by internal events (Ryan et al., 1985 ). Within the field of education, there are four levels of extrinsic motivation: external regulation, interjected regulation, identified regulation, and integrated regulation （Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2002).

     In conclusion, in the case of orientations, two taxonomies have been important in motivational research: Gardner’s dichotomy of integrative and instrumental orientations and the four types of orientations proposed by Noel et al (2003). In the case of the types of motivation, the most important classifications are Gardner’s integrative and instrumental motivation and Deci and Ryan’s extrinsic and intrinsic motivation.