Background: The achievement composition effect (ACE) posits that students' academic performance is influenced by the collective achievement level of their classmates. While ACE has been demonstrated across various learning domains, its role in second language (L2) learning and motivational moderators of this effect remain underexplored. Aims: This…

This article reports on the findings of a research study which has approached language learning motivation (LLM) following Ushioda's (2009) person-in-context relational view of L2 motivation, Consoli's life capital (2021, 2022), Dweck's mindset (2017) and Dörnyei's vision system (2009). Our study provides insights into how LLM research is key to…

Since the beginning of the 21st century, heritage language studies have drawn unprecedented attention from language-related research areas. Despite the flourishing research on heritage language learning, relatively few studies have examined the motivational profiles of L1 English speakers engaged in heritage language learning. Theoretical…

Second language (L2) motivation has long been regarded as one of the requisites for and predictors of success in L2 learning. The scholarship on L2 motivation has grown steadily over the past 60 years, yielding several theories through a range of methods. Building upon this tradition, this paper proposes a methodological contribution to the…

Background: The purported reciprocity between motivation and academic achievement in education has largely been supported by correlational data. Aims: Our first aim was to determine experimentally whether motivation and achievement are reciprocally related. The second objective was to investigate a potential behavioural mediation pathway between…

In this meta-analysis, we examined the average correlations (weighted for sample size and corrected for measurement error) between the varied types of motivation specified within self-determination theory (SDT) and second language (L2) achievement. We also conducted moderator analyses to explore whether these relationships are influenced by age,…

The teacher's role in student motivation, and the strategies they employ to enhance their learners desire to study, has long be seen as an essential component of learning in the second language English classroom. This study has sought to explore the motivational impact of the teachers' use of the game-based response system Kahoot within an English…

This study explored factors affecting variability in second language (L2) learning motivation among Korean university students and how they appraised their L2 learning experience. In this study, 85 undergraduate students majoring in English or English education from three universities in Seoul, South Korea, reflected on their past English learning…

Critical thinking (CT) is widely recognised as a core competency in 21st-century higher education, particularly within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning contexts. This study examines the extent to which motivation and engagement contribute to the development of CT skills among Chinese EFL university students. A sample of 626…

Background/purpose. This study presents the development of a novel questionnaire to assess medical students' motivation to learn English for Medical Purposes (EMP), addressing a gap in existing tools tailored to specific language contexts. Based on Dörnyei's L2 Motivational Self System, the questionnaire uniquely contextualizes its items to…

This qualitative Case Study explores learning motivation in highly motivated learners of English using the motivational angels concept to analyze their beliefs and perceptions about how teachers can build learning motivation in their students. This Case Study discusses lessons learned from empirical research conducted in a rural high school using…

This study used the concept of desire in language learning to explore the first-year English journeys of undergraduates at an English-medium instruction (EMI) university in Hong Kong. Desire in language learning is an underexplored area in EMI research but a relevant concept for gaining a multilayered picture of the incentives and pressures of…

Introduction: Social media has become an effective instrument to enhance adolescents' knowledge-gaining experiences, even in language acquisition. The mechanisms of interactive feedback in such sites can affect motivation and engagement, especially if looked at through the lens of Self-Determination Theory, which highlights the role of competence,…

The last two decades have witnessed a growing interest among scholars in exploring the conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement of second language (L2) task engagement in diverse educational settings. However, the concept is still not clearly defined and remains complex. Clarifying this complexity is crucial for developing a valid…

The research study explored online language learners' self-directed language learning (SDLL) experiences, benefits, motivations, and challenges when employing educational tools like Duolingo in an out of classroom context. To gain insights into SDLL, in-depth and semi-structured interviews with 10 Duolingo users were conducted. Study results…