The dynamics of language learning attitudes and motivation : lessons from an interview study of dyslexic language learners.

Csizér, Kata and Kormos, Judit and Sarkadi, Ágnes (2010) The dynamics of language learning attitudes and motivation : lessons from an interview study of dyslexic language learners. Modern Language Journal, 94 (3). pp. 470-487. ISSN 0026-7902

Abstract

The aim of our study was to provide an insider’s account of the dynamics of language learning motivation of Hungarian students with dyslexia. For this purpose we conducted qualitative interviews with 15 students, who studied foreign languages in a variety of educational settings. In this paper we drew up a dynamic model of language learning motivation based on our interview data with dyslexic learners. We argued that goals, attitudes and motivated behaviour form a closely interrelated co-adaptive system, in which change in one of these motivational constructs also brings about change in the other related constructs. We placed these motivational factors within the system of learner internal factors which, for our group of participants, included self-perceptions and cognitive factors such as dyslexia. The learner was then situated in two inter-related external systems: milieu and the instructional setting. In our research we pointed out how influences stemming from the learners’ immediate environment as well as from the instructional setting might affect learning goals, attitudes and motivated behaviour. Finally we argued that the general social context is the largest system into which all the previously mentioned sub-systems need to be placed.