{"id":{"repo_id":"uwo","oai_identifier":"oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38770"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uwo/oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38770","repository":{"repo_id":"uwo","name":"Western University","base_url":"https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Understanding Student Motivation in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom","abstract":"In the foreign language classroom, motivation is often identified as a critical factor to success in encounters of prolonged learning (Dörnyei, 1990, 2019; Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021). Earlier motivational frameworks (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 1985) conceptualize motivation from two lenses: intrinsic and extrinsic. Later models, such as the Second Language (L2) Motivational Self-System (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) build on this foundation by introducing a more nuanced view of learners as possible selves, divided into three components: the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and the L2 learning experience. Employing this theoretical framework, the present study (i) assesses the level of motivation of students in a beginner Spanish as a foreign language course; (ii) examines if the learning environment motivated students to want to learn Spanish; and (iii) analyzes the learning activities conducive to higher levels of student motivation. A total of 252 undergraduate students enrolled in a beginner Spanish course participated in this study. As part of the mixed methods approach employed, two online questionnaires were utilized: a Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) (Marian et al., 2007) and a Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ), adapted from previous instruments (Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). Findings demonstrate that, despite students expressing a lower sense of the ideal and ought-to selves, they find the learning experience as a highly motivating factor, including the learning activities, instructor, classroom setting, teaching methodology and learning platforms.","abstract_html":"In the foreign language classroom, motivation is often identified as a critical factor to success in encounters of prolonged learning (Dörnyei, 1990, 2019; Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021). Earlier motivational frameworks (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 1985) conceptualize motivation from two lenses: intrinsic and extrinsic. Later models, such as the Second Language (L2) Motivational Self-System (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) build on this foundation by introducing a more nuanced view of learners as possible selves, divided into three components: the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and the L2 learning experience. Employing this theoretical framework, the present study (i) assesses the level of motivation of students in a beginner Spanish as a foreign language course; (ii) examines if the learning environment motivated students to want to learn Spanish; and (iii) analyzes the learning activities conducive to higher levels of student motivation. A total of 252 undergraduate students enrolled in a beginner Spanish course participated in this study. As part of the mixed methods approach employed, two online questionnaires were utilized: a Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) (Marian et al., 2007) and a Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ), adapted from previous instruments (Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). Findings demonstrate that, despite students expressing a lower sense of the ideal and ought-to selves, they find the learning experience as a highly motivating factor, including the learning activities, instructor, classroom setting, teaching methodology and learning platforms.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Martinez Loyola, Richard"],"institution":"The University of Western Ontario","degree_name":"MA","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Hispanic Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["García-Allen, Ana","Devo Colis, Alba"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-08-18","date_published":"2025-08-18","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:11Z","subjects":["Student Motivation","Second Language Motivational Self System","Ideal L2 Self","Ought-to L2 Self","L2 Learning Experience","Spanish as a Foreign Language"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38770","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["García-Allen, Ana","Devo Colis, Alba"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Martinez Loyola, Richard"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-09-03T18:14:33Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-09-03T18:14:33Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-08-18"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Hispanic Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MA"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Student Motivation","Second Language Motivational Self System","Ideal L2 Self","Ought-to L2 Self","L2 Learning Experience","Spanish as a Foreign Language"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38770"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In the foreign language classroom, motivation is often identified as a critical factor to success in encounters of prolonged learning (Dörnyei, 1990, 2019; Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021). Earlier motivational frameworks (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 1985) conceptualize motivation from two lenses: intrinsic and extrinsic. Later models, such as the Second Language (L2) Motivational Self-System (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) build on this foundation by introducing a more nuanced view of learners as possible selves, divided into three components: the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and the L2 learning experience. Employing this theoretical framework, the present study (i) assesses the level of motivation of students in a beginner Spanish as a foreign language course; (ii) examines if the learning environment motivated students to want to learn Spanish; and (iii) analyzes the learning activities conducive to higher levels of student motivation. A total of 252 undergraduate students enrolled in a beginner Spanish course participated in this study. As part of the mixed methods approach employed, two online questionnaires were utilized: a Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) (Marian et al., 2007) and a Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ), adapted from previous instruments (Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). Findings demonstrate that, despite students expressing a lower sense of the ideal and ought-to selves, they find the learning experience as a highly motivating factor, including the learning activities, instructor, classroom setting, teaching methodology and learning platforms."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Understanding Student Motivation in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["García-Allen, Ana","Devo Colis, Alba"],"dc:creator":["Martinez Loyola, Richard"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-09-03T18:14:33Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-09-03T18:14:33Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-08-18"],"dc:description.abstract":["In the foreign language classroom, motivation is often identified as a critical factor to success in encounters of prolonged learning (Dörnyei, 1990, 2019; Dörnyei & Ushioda, 2021). Earlier motivational frameworks (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 1985) conceptualize motivation from two lenses: intrinsic and extrinsic. Later models, such as the Second Language (L2) Motivational Self-System (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) build on this foundation by introducing a more nuanced view of learners as possible selves, divided into three components: the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and the L2 learning experience. Employing this theoretical framework, the present study (i) assesses the level of motivation of students in a beginner Spanish as a foreign language course; (ii) examines if the learning environment motivated students to want to learn Spanish; and (iii) analyzes the learning activities conducive to higher levels of student motivation. A total of 252 undergraduate students enrolled in a beginner Spanish course participated in this study. As part of the mixed methods approach employed, two online questionnaires were utilized: a Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) (Marian et al., 2007) and a Motivational Factors Questionnaire (MFQ), adapted from previous instruments (Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). Findings demonstrate that, despite students expressing a lower sense of the ideal and ought-to selves, they find the learning experience as a highly motivating factor, including the learning activities, instructor, classroom setting, teaching methodology and learning platforms."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38770"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["The University of Western Ontario"],"dc:rights":["Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International"],"dc:subject":["Student Motivation","Second Language Motivational Self System","Ideal L2 Self","Ought-to L2 Self","L2 Learning Experience","Spanish as a Foreign Language"],"dc:title":["Understanding Student Motivation in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Hispanic Studies"],"thesis:degree_name":["MA"],"thesis:institution_name":["The University of Western Ontario"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:11Z"}