Abstract:

Variations in motivation for second language acquisition;

Investigating the positive effects of experience abroad

By Andrew Reimann, Nihon University

This paper reports on the results of a survey designed to investigate cultural differences in motivation for second language acquisition (SLA) between various ethnic groups in a common language environment. The survey was the chief instrument used in a pilot study, the purpose of which was to measure motivations and relate them to levels of achievement in the target language. The final goal was to establish whether a sufficient basis exists to warrant further research.

The relationship between a learner’s motivations, attitude and SLA has long been a topic of interest in Sociolinguistics and Applied Linguistics, as well as among language teachers. The reasons why people learn a second language and why some fare better than others are very complex and not easily identifiable. Given that optimal language learning occurs when teachers focus on the learner’s needs, one can see that any insight into these questions may benefit both the language teaching and language learning processes.