Other-expectations and motivation in classroom English learning

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16790
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Sampson Richard 群馬大学, 大学教育・学生支援機構, 講師 (50585320)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Possible self theory / Ought-to L2 Self / Motivation / EFL study / Action research / Classroom research / Higher education / Complex systems theory

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aimed to explore the content and influence of other-expectations on the motivation of Japanese undergraduates studying in compulsory English as a Foreign Language lessons. The project used action research to uncover how activities that encourage students to reflect on their ideas of expectations from significant others regarding English impact on their motivation. The main outcomes were insights to:(1) Mismatches between industry needs for English and students’ own beliefs; (2) Messages from significant others and society that students have about English; (3) Felt-expectations from those around students; (4) Classroom activities focusing on hopes of peers; (5) Student feelings in the classroom as a confluence of perceptions of activities, individual transportable identities, and understandings of the actions of others; (6) The use of action research; (7) The use of complexity perspectives.

Free Research Field

Language learning psychology