Understanding Student Motivation in the Spanish as a Foreign Language Classroom

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Hispanic Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Martinez Loyola, Richard

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• García-Allen, Ana
• Devo Colis, Alba

• Student Motivation
• Second Language Motivational Self System
• Ideal L2 Self
• Ought-to L2 Self
• L2 Learning Experience
• Spanish as a Foreign Language

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/38770

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/38770