the effect of motivational orientations on language learning strategies: turkish efl learners as a...

The Effect of Motivational Orientations on Language

Learning Strategies: Turkish EFL Learners as a Case Study

Kader Bas, University of Klagenfurt, Austria

Introduction to the topic

Status of English in Turkey:

English as a Foreign Language

Medium of instruction in many universities

Setting:

Limited opportunity to hear, speak, and write in English

Almost no interaction with a native English speaker

Research Objectives

Two main objectives;

To identify the motivational orientations of high school pupils learning English as a foreign language in Turkey

To determine the effect of pupils’ motivational orientations on their choice and use of language learning strategies

Language Learning Strategies (LLSs)

«Language learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and affect learning directly» (Rubin 1987)

«[…] learning strategies are specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferrable to new situations» (Oxford 1990)

«Learning strategies are special ways of processing information that enhance comprehension, learning, or retention of the information» (O’Malley & Chamot 1990)

Rebecca Oxford’s (1990) Language Learning Strategy Classification

LLSs and Individual Learner Characteristics

What kind of variables are effective on the choice and the use of language learning strategies?

Age, gender, motivation, anxiety, attitude, personality, proficiency, learning situation, excitement, and etc.

To what extent do these variables influence the choice and the use of learning strategies?

The choice and the use of language learning strategies should be adjusted to individual learner characteristics.

One of the most widely studied and investigated learner variables: motivation

Motivation in SLA/EFL

Gardner & Lambert (1972)

Integrative motivation

Instrumental motivation

Clément and Kruidenier (1983)

Dörnyei and Csizér (2002)

Ryan & Deci (1985,2002)

Self-Determination Theory (SDT)

Intrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation inherently interesting or enjoyable

Extrinsic motivation leads to a separable outcome

varies in autonomous degrees

intentional behavior

Not the amount of motivation, but the nature and the focus of motivation

Sub-types of motivation continuum

reflect the motivational orientation, not the level

or amount of motivation

different attitudes

Research Methodology

The study involved a test battery consisted of two sets of questionnaires:

(1) Motivation Questionnaire, adapted from Zoltan Dörnyei’s motivation questionnaire used in 2013 Chinese survey (You & Dörnyei, in press)

(2) Rebecca Oxford’s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL)

A translation of SILL

Motivational questionnaire was prepared both in Turkish and English.

Data was collected through the aforementioned questionnaires, which were forwarded for completion to the high school EFL learners in Ordu Province, Turkey.

Participants

22 high school students

11 females, 11 males

17-18 year olds

Living and studying in Ordu Province

Attending two different types of high schools (Fatsa Anatolian High School and Fatsa Anatolian Teachers’ Training High School)

Not very different in quality of education

Attending a private teaching institution for complementary courses

Non-English majors

Mathematics & Science (Physics, Biology, and Chemistry)

Procedure

Necessary permission was obtained from the administration of the institution.

The students were informed about the important aspects of the research.

The English teacher by whom the questionnaires were given and completed was also informed about the same aspects.

The given time frame by the administration of the institution for the research 45 + 15 minutes

Analysis & Results Reliability test results according to Cronbach’s alpha

Motivational Questionnaire

0.94 (Turkish Translation)

Strategy Questionnaire (SILL) (Turkish Translation)

Memory (Part A) 0.75

Cognitive (Part B) 0.93

Compensation (Part C) 0.67

Metacognitive (Part D) 0.92

Affective (Part E) 0.73

Social (Part F) 0.85

Overall reliability result 0.92

Table 1: Mean scores of learning strategies and their ranks and frequencies

Total mean score of learning strategies : 3,2024 (Medium)

Strategies Mean Rank Frequency

Memory Strategies 3,2121 3 Medium

Cognitive Strategies 2,8039 6 Medium

Compensation Strategies 3,3784 1 Medium

Metacognitive Strategies 3,2210 2 Medium

Affective Strategies 3,0606 5 Medium

Social Strategies 3,1787 4 Medium

Mean strategy scores for the participants’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivation MOTIVATION N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean

Memory

Strategies

Extrinsic motivation 10 3,0111 ,68383 ,21625

Intrinsic motivation 12 3,3796 ,77916 ,22492

Cognitive

Strategies


Intrinsic motivation 12 3,0952 1,12417 ,32452

Compensation

Strategies



Metacognitive

Strategies

Extrinsic motivation 10 2,8222 1,11259 ,35183


Affective

Strategies



Social

Strategies



Table 3: Mean scores of each strategy category and their ranks for intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of the participants

Total mean strategy score for intrinsic motivation: 3,34 (Medium)Total mean strategy score for extrinsic motivation: 2,86 (Medium)

Motivation

Strategies

Intrinsic Extrinsic

Mean Rank Frequency Mean Rank Frequency

Memory 3,3796 4 Medium 3,0111 2 Medium

Cognitive 3,0952 6 Medium 2,3929 6 Low

Compensation 3,5000 2 High 3,1833 1 Medium

Metacognitive 3,5278 1 High 2,8222 4 Medium

Affective 3,1528 5 Medium 2,9500 3 Medium

Social 3,4028 3 Medium 2,8167 5 Medium

Mean strategy scores for the participants’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivation MOTIVATION N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean

Memory

Strategies



Cognitive

Strategies



Compensation

Strategies



Metacognitive

Strategies

Extrinsic motivation 10 2,8222 1,11259 ,35183


Affective

Strategies



Social

Strategies



Concluding Remarks

Turkish EFL learners medium level of strategy use

The most frequently used language learning strategy Compensation strategies

The least frequently used language learning strategy Cognitive strategies

12 participants intrinsic motivation

10 participants extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation Metacognitive strategies

Extrinsic motivation Compensation strategies

The least frequently used language learning strategy for both motivation types Cognitive strategies, yet the mean scores differ

the effect of motivational orientations on language learning strategies: turkish efl learners as a...

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