Motivational Processes and
Practices in Accelerated Ab Initio
Language Learning
Ulrike Bavendiek
Content
• Ab initio language learning at Liverpool
• Accelerated language learning
• Motivation in accelerated language learning
– specific characteristics of the ab initio learning
situation
• The study
• Two case studies
• Results and discussion
Ab initio language learning at Liverpool
• Languages that can be studied ab initio on a language
degree programme: Catalan, Basque, German, Italian,
Portuguese and Spanish
• 4 contact hours/week in years 1 and 2
• At least one semester of the YA spent in the ab initio
language community
• All ab-initio have at least one A level (A) in another
language
• Modern European Languages/Joined
Honours/Combined Honours
• Slightly different arrangements for the individual
languages
Accelerated language learning
• Ab initio students have to meet the same
benchmarking standards as their post A level
peers in the final year
• Students have to reach a high proficiency level
in a very short time, ideally up to B2 (A level
standard) in one year
Motivation in accelerated language
learning
• Motivation influences learning behaviour
• Motivation is dynamic, i.e. it changes over
time
-(initial vs. sustaining motivation)
• A variety of factors influence motivation
factors include
- personal traits, characteristics and skills
- situational stimuli
Personal traits, characteristics and
skills
•
•
•
•
Needs, wishes, expectations, dreams….
Reasons for studying the language
Perception of failure and success
Learning strategies (knowing how to do it)
Situational stimuli
•
•
•
•
•
Atmosphere in class
Classroom practices and pedagogies
Promoting independence and strategy use
Assessment practices
Expectations of teachers, family, friends
[I]t is difficult to pin down just how situations are
important, in part because of the common but
unilluminating practice of assigning “the
situation” responsibility for all the behavioral
variance not accounted for by a particular
personal trait, without specifying what aspects of
the situation are psychologically essential. There
is a good deal of confusion concerning how
situations should be conceptualized.
Funder 2006:27 (in Dörnyei 2009:237)
Specific characteristics of the ab initio
learning situation and their motivational
challenges
accelerated
learning
sense of
achievement
and control
learning
behaviour
feeling of
control/confidence
motivation
Specific characteristics of the ab initio
learning situation and their motivational
challenges II
accelerated
learning
teaching
practices and
pedagogies
1. atmosphere in class
learning
behaviour
2. learner strategies
motivatio
n
feeling of
control/
confidence
The study
Two parts:
1) Exploratory study: Informal, open-ended
interviews with four students and discussion
with three teachers with the aim of identifying
themes
2) -58 statements extracted from the exploratory
study as stimulus items
-nine students sorted the statements, from +5
(most strongly agree) to -5 (most strongly
disagree)
The study II
Items were sorted according to a normal distribution pattern
(fewer items for the more extreme positions).
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
3
5
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
9
Case studies
Statement (inherent factors in ab initio language learning)
A
B
Ʃ (all subj.)
I was confident in my ab initio language class
-4
5
15
I found ab initio language learning too hard/difficult
2
-5
-15
I did not think I was making any progress in my ab initio
language learning
1
-5
-13
I found ab initio language learning easier to do than other
language learning
-5
1
-26
I lost motivation because I could not see myself progressing
1
-4
-19
Because we were progressing so fast, I sometimes felt stupid
because I did not know what was expected of me
4
0
-6
I sometimes felt that I was losing control of my language
learning
1
-3
-14
I wanted to study the ab initio language for a long time but
could not do so in school
-1
2
10
The intensity of ab initio language learning motivated me
3
1
20
1
15
I was motivated by the fact that I could see rapid progress in my -1
learning
Case studies II
Statement (individual motivational traits)
A
B
Ʃ (all subj.)
Teachers have to have high expectations of the students
-4
-1
-2
Teachers have to put pressure on me to make me work
1
-2
-17
Results
• Differences in confidence in ab initio language
learning seem to be based on different
perceptions of difficulty, control and
success/perceived progression
• There are no obvious differences in the
students’ motivational dispositions that could
indicate the different perceptions
• There are
References
Dörnyei, Z. (2009) ‘Individual Differences: Interplay of
learner characteristics and learning environment’
Language Learning, 59 (SUPP 1), 230-248.
Funder, D.C. (2006) ‘Towards a Resolution of the
Personality Triad: Persons, situations, and behaviours’
Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 21-34.
Internet sources:
Bavendiek, U. (2011) Motivational Processes and
Practices in Accelerated Ab-initio Language Learning
http://www.llas.ac.uk/ab-initio2 (last accessed
1/07/2012)