Socio-Economic Perspectives Of Language Learning Motivation: The Case Of Yemeni Efl Undergraduates At The Hadramout University Of Science & Technology
Loading...
Date
2011-01
Authors
Al-Timimi, Rais Ahmed
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The concept of integrativeness in Foreign Language Learning (FLL) contexts
has been theoretically reformulated recently by scholars in the field of motivational
research such as Csizér and Dörnyei (2005). The reformulated concept takes into
consideration the notion of “possible selves” which refers to the desire of language
learners to learn or use the Target Language (TL) to create an identity or self image
that is congruous with some socio-economic/cultural traits in their closer
environment. The concept of “possible selves” has been adopted and empirically
confirmed in studies conducted in various FLL contexts as reported in Lifrieri
(2005). This and the research gap with regard to the notion of possible selves in the
Yemeni context are the main motivations behind the present study which
investigated the sources of desirable identities or self images constructed by Yemeni
EFL learners. This was achieved by gauging the integrative tendencies of the Yemeni
EFL learners towards the TL group, essentially local group of English speakers. This
TL group comprises predominantly Yemeni speakers of English who are currently
employed in the petroleum project in the Hadramout Province and thus, considered
as highly positioned in the socio-economic/cultural sense. The present study
therefore investigated the correlation between socio-economic backgrounds and the
sample’s integrative tendencies and motivation to learn English. It utilises a
theoretical, conceptual, and contextual framework that is based on Gardner’s (2001a)
Integrative Motivation Framework and Bourdieu’s (1985; 1986; 1989) Status-based
Approach to Social Stratification to investigate the influence of socio-economic
factors on the motivation levels of the students towards learning English. To this end,
three survey questionnaires based on Gardner’s (1985b) AMTB, Bourdieu’s (1986)
tripartite conceptualization of capital, and Houroumtcho’s (2004) oil project effect
scale, were used. All questionnaires were administered to 155 students enrolled in
the fourth-year level of the English Department of the College of Arts and Education,
the Hadramout University of Science and Technology, Yemen. Besides
questionnaires, individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups were
employed as supportive qualitative research methods to further elaborate on the data
obtained from the questionnaires.
Description
Keywords
Socio-economic perspectives , of language Learning motivation