Motivation has been defined by Ellis (2006) as “The attitudes and effective states that influence

Many popular theories of second language acquisition have been analyzed throughout history. The socialization of L2 learners, their present emotional state that is present at time of acquisition, as well as the comprehensible input and output with the use of scaffolding play a major role in second language acquisition. Let us also not forget the importance of written expression as well as reading comprehension with these L2 learners. Each play a role in language development. However, I believe that in acquiring a language, one must use a variety of techniques that work together to create a balance within the learning environment. Furthermore, all L2 learners learn differently and so a variety of resources will need to be used based on the ability of each student. There are many theories that have been developed by highly qualified experts in the field on linguistics. However, I will address those areas that I agree with as I present my personal theories on second language acquisition.

Motivation refers to the processes that lead to certain behaviours within organisms. They are the drives, needs, wants and interests that push individuals to partake in goal directed behaviour, that is actions that contribute to the achievement of a desired outcome. Tom is a 45 year old male who was recently involved in a car accident following the request of a divorce from his wife. Consequently, Tom sustained injuries to the frontal and left temporal lobe of his brain as well as a broken leg, ankle and shoulder. He is medically stable and has recently been sent to rehabilitation, however is refusing to leave his room and resisting therapy sessions with numerous health professionals. Many motivational theories can be utilised in order to

During the past five months, I have worked with a group of ELL’s that are both motivated to achieve academically and to learn English as a second language. Plus, as the daughter of immigrants and as an English Language Learner, I know first hand that we are capable of achieving high academic standards. Therefore, I never believed the myths mentioned about ELL’s not being capable to achieve high academic standards nor did I believe that they are not motivated to learn. I did, however, believed that the best way for ELLs to learn the language was through exposure.

L2 motivation was firstly initiated in Canada which it was ruled by a social psychological emphasis there.The understanding of the distinctive Canadian circumstances with the coexistence of the anglophone and francophone group of people speaking two of the world’s most vital languages has been a constant challenge for researchers in the social sciences, and the Canadian government has enthusiastically supported (and sponsored!) research in this manner.

Motivation is the number one driving force behind anything and everything an individual does each day. “Motivation is the desire to do the best possible job or to exert the maximum effort to perform an assigned task. Motivation energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior directed towards a goal.” (Honor, 2009). Motivation can determine the outcome of projects, goals, and can set limits on what an individual can obtain or what they believe they can obtain. Motivation often is the deciding factor on how successful a project in an organization is, and an individual’s needs and desires can both influence a person’s motivation greatly. Motivation can also determine how well an individual does in school, college, or university.

Literature review This section will provide background into the demotivation towards language learning in secondary schools, the importance of acquiring a second language for career purposes, and the effectiveness of interventions in raising attainment, closing the gap and boosting motivation. Other aspects such as policy, theory and good practice will also be examined.

The languages and skills learned will benefit them immensely in the future, but while conducting research about the success in learning a foreign language, I learned that a greater problem was the student’s engagement and motivation in learning a foreign language like Spanish. I started with a topic I found very interesting but soon realized there was an enormous problem in the process of getting to the success a foreign language brings. Student engagement and motivation in learning a foreign language then became the focus of my research and observations where I learned important tools I will take on in my future in teaching. Without the motivation and engagement a student has and is receiving by the instructor, the student won’t be exposed to the benefits of a foreign language.

Since, the second language is an additional language after we acquire the first language, the L2 learning process can be influenced by the L1 learning process This essay will demonstrate the similarities and differences in L1 and L2 acquisition by discussing various theories. Then, draw a conclusion based on the evidence provided and my own experience.

The promotion of foreign language education in America’s primary schools is vital to a child’s learning process, cultural awareness, and future in the workforce. Although they are scarce, there are some elementary schools across the United States that incorporate foreign language courses in the curriculum. This is most common in areas bordering other countries and relative to the language spoken, as French is taught most often along the border of Canada and Spanish along the border of Mexico. The process of learning another language is beneficial the learning process of all subjects because the methods used combine teaching procedures present in every class. The broad learning capacity gained from learning a foreign language and the

The first part of the student questionnaire sought elicit data about the student’s intrinsic motivation, the second sought elicit data about the student’s extrinsic motivation, the third sought out information on the student’s attitude toward learning English, and the fourth sought to measure the student’s opinion about the teacher.

Many second language acquisition theories have been developed over the years. These theories examine the avenues in which second language is acquired and the avenues in which they are

Krashen & Terrell (1995) explore five hypotheses of second language acquisition theory in their chapter. These hypotheses include, “the acquisition-learning hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the input hypothesis, and the affective filter hypothesis” (Krashen & Terrell, 1995). The concepts outlined in this chapter provide a foundation of the process that English language learners (ELLs) are developing through. However, like all theory, it is up to myself as the classroom teacher, to translate this theoretical into a working

MacIntyre, P. D., Baker, S. C., Clément, R., & Conrod, S. (2001). Willingness to communicate, social support, and language-learning orientations of immersion students. Studies in second language acquisition, 23(3), 369-388.

With the powerful influence of globalization transforming every aspect of our world humans must adapt to the new cultural environment being created. One major change is that of language evolution. English is the third most spoken language worldwide after Chinese and Spanish, but it is the most popular second language overall (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, & McBride, 2014). The English language is taking over, so what, you may ask, is the point of putting in the energy to learn a second language? Why should you enrol your child in a language immersion school program? Well, as an English Canadian, learning a second language through an immersion program comes with a collection of cognitive benefits that can influence a variety of things, including mental health, academic performance, and employability, not to mentions that it plays a vital part in preserving the many cultures in our country, all while promoting acceptance diversity.

The issue of finding a complete analysis for the production of foreign language learners is yet not accounted for perfectly. While contrastive analysis provides several attempts at predicting the mistakes that a second language learner may commit, the margin of error remains big by the fact that not all the predicted errors will occur in the produced language. Similarly, although error analysis attempts to provide a better analysis for the error committed the developmental path of