L2 Motivation articles

Oxfor, R. and Shearin, J. (1994). Language learning motivation: Expanding the theoretical framework. The Modern Language Journal 78(1) Spring 12-28
This articles was not for indicating the result of a research, but for displaying overall summary of L2 motivation research. It address components that make us feel difficult to understand L2 motivation issues, and points out necessities to pay our attention to fruits various psychology brings such as psychology, cognitive, and developmental psychology as well as sociological psychology that has had major impact on L2 motivation literature. A variety of theories are also explained in this article beginning from Piaget and Vygotsky.

Dornyei, Z. (1994). Motivation and motivating in the foreign language classroom. The modern language journal 78(3) Autumn, 273-284

This article also summarizes a variety of issues regarding to L2 motivation from integrative/instrumental motivation through extrinsic/intrinsic motivation self-confidence, to self-determination and proximal goal-setting theory, as well as cognitive psychology theory like self-efficacy, attribution, self-confidence, need for achievement theory. Among the explanation, the part about limitation of social and pragmatic dimensions of L2 motivation clearly indicate the nature of L2 motivation. "the exact nature of the social and pragmatic dimensions of L2 motivation is always dependent on who learns what languages where"(p, 275).

He then categorize those complicated issues into three levels, 1) Language Level (social dimension), 2) Learner Level (personal dimension) and 3) Learning Situation Level (educational dimension). He moreover divide the Learning Situation Level into three subcategories, (1) course-specific, 2) teacher-specific and 3) group-specific motivational components. He ends this article with lots of implication teachers can use based on the results of researches that has been conducted.

His articles are always systematic and express his statements simply. It is be case he is smart of course, but maybe partly because English is his L2.

Dorney, Z. (1990) Conceptualizing Motivation in Foreign-Language learning. Language Learning 40(1) 45-78.

In the research conducted in Hungary, he extracted factors as motivating components for Foreign language learning, that is different from those extracted in the context of second language acquisition (learning). He extracted 1) instrumental motivation, 2) integrative motivation, 3) need for achievement, and 4) attributions about past failures. According to him, 2) was divided into four sub components, and 2) is a bit different typical integrative motivation found in second language acquisition (learning ) context. Moreover, he examined correlation between learners' desired proficiency and the factors, and found out learners who desired high proficiency has integrative motivation, wheres learners who desired limited proficiency has instrumental motivation.

This articles not only indicated intriguing results mentioned above, but also precise data and questionnaire, which is helpful for readers.