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Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self. Zoltán Dörnyei, Ema Ushioda
(Eds.), Multilingual Matters, Bristol, 2009. 356 pp
Article in System · December 2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.system.2009.08.002
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Book review
Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self. Zoltán Dörnyei, Ema Ushioda (Eds.), Multilingual Matters,
Bristol, 2009. 356 pp
‘‘Why a new book on L2 motivation now?” By posing this question as an introduction to their book, the
editors, Zoltán Dörnyei and Ema Ushioda, anticipate a possible sense of saturation in the reader, deriving
from the substantial amount of literature on L2 motivation in recent years. I would argue that we do need
another book on this topic. Much has happened since the comprehensive overview provided by Dörnyei’s
Teaching and Researching Motivation (2001), the most discernible change being the increasing interest in
the self as a concept in L2 motivation literature; a shift that reflects a general trend in mainstream motivational
theories, but gains its decisive impetus from the specific link between language learning and notions of self and
identity. A book reflecting the paradigmatic shift in L2 motivational research is much needed, in particular,
one that takes on the challenge of feeding recent theoretical and empirical insights back into possible implications for the classroom. For these reasons, I highly recommend this anthology to researchers and practitioners alike.
However, while an anthology can pay homage to the theoretical and methodological pluralism in the field,
it can miss the unified voice that draws all of these strands together to discuss pedagogical implications in the
light of this plethora of new evidence. On the other hand, it provides the reader with the unique opportunity to
obtain an overview of the different research strands by featuring not only internationally distinguished scholars, among them the prominent Canadian scholars, Richard Clément, Peter MacIntyre and Kimberly A.
Noels, but also less familiar names who provide very insightful contributions indeed. The one downside to this
book is that most theoretical considerations as well as the bulk of empirical evidence are based on the motivation to learn English only.
The book comprises 18 chapters of varying length; most of them are between 20–30 pages and each is written by a different author. The two editors contribute an additional introductory and closing chapter. The longest chapter is an introduction to the L2 Motivational Self System as expounded in previous works (for an
overview, see Dörnyei, 2005) consisting of the Ideal L2 Self, the Ought-to L2 Self and the L2 Learning Experience, which provides the background for the remaining chapters. These range from critical perspectives on
the L2 motivational system (Chapter 3) complemented by an alternative relational view on motivation (Chapter 11), which frame the descriptions of extensive empirical investigations conducted within the L2 Motivational Self System with learners of English from a range of countries including China, Iran, Hungary
(Chapters 4, 5 and 6) as well as particular theoretical/empirical perspectives relating to the model (Chapters
8, 9 and 10). Chapters 7, 12 and 13 integrate discussions of possible selves with related theoretical constructs,
while the two following chapters (14 and 15) develop connections with other major theoretical frameworks
such as socio-cultural activity theory, self-determination and autonomy theory. The last two chapters (16
and 17) link back to the classroom by looking at the potential of possible selves in language teacher development and e-language teaching. A concluding chapter by the editors addresses controversial issues and outlines
future research directions.
As all chapters give considerable food for thought, the (admittedly partial) focus in this review derives from
my own double bias as a motivational researcher and a lecturer in modern languages. In this respect, Chapter
2 deserves a closer look as Dörnyei draws a clear line from theory to teaching practice in the comprehensive
section on pedagogical implications. Without giving away too much at this point, it should be said that the
doi:10.1016/j.system.2009.08.002
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Book review / System xxx (2009) xxx–xxx
carefully thought-out suggestions as to how the L2 Learning Experience can affect something as evasive as the
self will make teachers’ hearts leap. Yet, it seems to me that caution needs to be taken with regards to feasibility. Undoubtedly, more research is warranted to investigate to what extent and how exactly teachers can
best help students visualize themselves as successful language learners. It also begs the question whether
the suggestions offered can be translated into other modern foreign language classrooms if the empirical evidence is based on learning English – a question that is sure to interest many teachers in the English-speaking
world struggling to instruct reluctant teenagers in modern foreign languages. Another question that remains
unaddressed is whether nurturing the learners’ vision can overcome the fickle spirit of motivation. In the concluding chapter, Dörnyei suggests that visions may serve as broad attractors that overlap other cognitive,
emotional and motivational domains, a view elaborated on in Chapter 5 of Dörnyei’s recently published
The Psychology of Second Language Acquisition (2009).
Peter Macintyre, Sean Mackinnon and Richard Clément (Chapter 3) also hint at the somewhat stepmotherly attitude towards motivational changes in the recent discussions surrounding the self along with a list of
other challenges that possible self research has to overcome in the future, emphasising open questions as to
how to best operationalize the self-system in terms of measurement. With regard to the latter, it is good news,
then, that besides Macintyre et al. (Chapter 10), Taguchi, Magid and Papi (Chapter 4), Csizér and Kormos,
(Chapter 5), Ryan, (Chapter 6) and Al-Shehri (Chapter 8) all include the scales of measurement in the appendix. What may be worth discussing in this context, however, is the somewhat puzzling neglect of the L2 learning experience in the latter studies. Although Dörnyei (2009a:31) states that ‘‘over the last three years several
quantitative studies have been conducted to specifically test and validate the L2 Motivational Self System”, it
is fair to say that attention has focused mainly on the ideal self component of the tripartite self system. This is
to say, while the importance of the L2 ideal self for learners of English as a foreign language has convincingly
been demonstrated, the system itself has yet to be validated.
MacIntyre et al. (Chapter 3) also express slight concern about the disparate analysis methods derived from
the rise of qualitative approaches in self research. This in itself however, does not need to be problematic and I
would agree with the editors (Chapter 18) that diverse research approaches and disparate methods can also be
seen as a point of strength at a time when the best way of assessing future self-guides is yet to be found. However, a qualitative research approach is not simply a question of methodology (see Ushioda, 2001). Qualitative
research approaches depend on underlying ontological beliefs and there is admittedly little said about paradigmatic stances in the qualitative studies presented in this anthology, except in the noteworthy chapter presented by Ema Ushioda (Chapter 11).
Ushioda questions ontological assumptions in linear models of motivation in general and presents a personin-context relational view of language motivation through which she addresses the dynamic character of motivation that has received considerable attention in her other works (see for instance Ushioda, 1997, 2008). She
stresses the decisive influence of interaction between people and the potential that underused methods, such as
discourse analysis, hold to uncover motivational processes and notions of identity.
Ema Ushioda is a familiar name not only in motivational research but also amongst those who are interested in learner autonomy, an interest she shares with Kimberly Noels (Chapter 15). Noels has long been
exploring self-determination theory to show its utility to support students’ language learning motivation. In
her chapter, Noels sheds light on the connection between self-determination theory, learner autonomy and
the motivational self-system.
There are two additional studies worth singling out, one for its pedagogical implications and the other for
its focus on learners of a language other than English. An inspiring study by Al-Shehri (Chapter 8) moves the
L2 ideal self closer to the classroom by investigating the relationship between visual learning style, imagination, ideal language selves and motivated behaviour. Zachary Lyons (Chapter 13) reports on imagined identity
and the L2 Self in the French Foreign Legion which makes an interesting shift from learners of English as a
foreign language to learners of French in a second language environment, offering surprising insights which
are somewhat in contrast to the large amount of research conducted in the Canadian context.
One of the main merits of this book is the fruitful mix between conceptual and empirical discussions drawing on quantitative and qualitative studies alike, which will hopefully serve to stimulate further research in this
field. All chapters taken together bring about a multifaceted and exciting anthology, just as multifarious as the
phenomena under investigation.
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References
Dörnyei, Z., 2001. Teaching and Researching Motivation. Longman, Harlow.
Dörnyei, Z., 2005. The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum,
Mahwah, New Jersey.
Dörnyei, Z., 2009. The Psychology of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Ushioda, E., 1997. The role of motivational thinking in autonomous language learning. In: Little, D., Voss, B. (Eds.), Language Centres:
Planning For the New Millennium. CERCLES, Plymouth, pp. 299–314.
Ushioda, E., 2001. Language learning at university: exploring the role of motivational thinking. In: Dörnyei, Z., Schmidt, R. (Eds.),
Motivation and Second Language Acquisition. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii, pp. 93–125.
Ushioda, E., 2008. Motivation and good language learners. In: Griffiths, C. (Ed.), Lessons from Good Language Learners. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge.
Vera Busse
Department of Education,
University of Oxford,
15 Norham Gardens,
Oxford OX2 6PY,
United Kingdom
E-mail address: vera.busse@education.ox.ac.uk
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