The Influence of L2 Motivation and L2 Anxiety on Adult Learners’ Socio-Affective Conditions and Language Production during Communicative Tasks
Title
The Influence of L2 Motivation and L2 Anxiety on Adult Learners’ Socio-Affective Conditions and Language Production during Communicative Tasks
The Influence of L2 Motivation and L2 Anxiety on Adult Learners’ Socio-Affective Conditions and Language Production during Communicative Tasks
Keywords: L2 motivation, L2 anxiety, task motivation, group work dynamic, task-based language teaching
Authors
Glen Poupore
Minnesota State University
Glen Poupore
Minnesota State University
Bio Data
Glen Poupore is assistant professor of TESOL in the Department of English at Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has taught English and has been a teacher trainer for several years in Korea, Canada, and the United States. His specializations include task-based language teaching, L2 motivation, and group work dynamics.
Abstract
Through correlational analysis, this study examines the relationship between adult learners’ affect-related traits and their socio-affective and linguistic responses during task-based group work. The investigation was conducted with 38 Korean EFL learners at the intermediate level in a conversation course as part of a TESOL certificate program. The affect-related traits, measured through the use of questionnaires, were represented by the motivational constructs of L2 motivation (Gardner, 1985) and international posture (Yashima, 2002) and by the anxiety-based constructs of English-use anxiety (Gardner, 1985) and communication apprehension (McCroskey, 1978). In order to reflect recent theoretical developments in relation to affect which views L2 motivation and other affective variables as part of a complex and/or dynamic system (Dörnyei, 2009b; MacIntyre & Legatto, 2011), several inter-related socio-affective variables, as state-like conditions, were included as part of the investigation. These were measured dynamically based on pre, during, and post-task questionnaires and included task motivation, emotional state, perceived difficulty, and perceived group work dynamic (i.e. the social climate that exists within the group). Based on audio/video recordings, transcription, and a group work dynamic measuring instrument, two further variables were also included in the investigation, namely group work dynamic contributions and language production. The findings indicated that learners with a high L2 motivation and/or international posture were more highly motivated, more emotionally comfortable, and had more positive perceptions of the social group dynamic during task performance. Results for the anxiety-related variables, meanwhile, revealed a negative relationship with task motivation, perceived task difficulty, perceived group work dynamic, group work dynamic contributions, and amount of language produced. The outcomes therefore suggest the need to promote EFL learner interest in global culture and to minimize learner anxiety with respect to English and its communicative use.
Through correlational analysis, this study examines the relationship between adult learners’ affect-related traits and their socio-affective and linguistic responses during task-based group work. The investigation was conducted with 38 Korean EFL learners at the intermediate level in a conversation course as part of a TESOL certificate program. The affect-related traits, measured through the use of questionnaires, were represented by the motivational constructs of L2 motivation (Gardner, 1985) and international posture (Yashima, 2002) and by the anxiety-based constructs of English-use anxiety (Gardner, 1985) and communication apprehension (McCroskey, 1978). In order to reflect recent theoretical developments in relation to affect which views L2 motivation and other affective variables as part of a complex and/or dynamic system (Dörnyei, 2009b; MacIntyre & Legatto, 2011), several inter-related socio-affective variables, as state-like conditions, were included as part of the investigation. These were measured dynamically based on pre, during, and post-task questionnaires and included task motivation, emotional state, perceived difficulty, and perceived group work dynamic (i.e. the social climate that exists within the group). Based on audio/video recordings, transcription, and a group work dynamic measuring instrument, two further variables were also included in the investigation, namely group work dynamic contributions and language production. The findings indicated that learners with a high L2 motivation and/or international posture were more highly motivated, more emotionally comfortable, and had more positive perceptions of the social group dynamic during task performance. Results for the anxiety-related variables, meanwhile, revealed a negative relationship with task motivation, perceived task difficulty, perceived group work dynamic, group work dynamic contributions, and amount of language produced. The outcomes therefore suggest the need to promote EFL learner interest in global culture and to minimize learner anxiety with respect to English and its communicative use.
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See page: 90-126
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[/private]Category: Main Editions, Volume 15 Issue 2
