Self-regulatory strategies of foreign language learners
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Heather Willis Allen
Abstract
Motivation plays an important role in foreign language (FL) learning outcomes, academic performance, and student persistence in language study. Success depends not only on learners possessing motivation from within; they must also see themselves as agents of processes shaping their motivation. Taking an activity theory perspective, this study traces the development of self-regulatory strategies (Dörnyei 2001), i.e motivation maintenance strategies, goal-setting strategies, and language-learning strategies of three U.S. college students of French over several years, including a six-week sojourn in France. Findings point to the value of reflective narrative data as a tool to support FL learners’ self regulation and to the need for new forms of motivational scaffolding to assist students both in and out of the classroom.
Abstract
Motivation plays an important role in foreign language (FL) learning outcomes, academic performance, and student persistence in language study. Success depends not only on learners possessing motivation from within; they must also see themselves as agents of processes shaping their motivation. Taking an activity theory perspective, this study traces the development of self-regulatory strategies (Dörnyei 2001), i.e motivation maintenance strategies, goal-setting strategies, and language-learning strategies of three U.S. college students of French over several years, including a six-week sojourn in France. Findings point to the value of reflective narrative data as a tool to support FL learners’ self regulation and to the need for new forms of motivational scaffolding to assist students both in and out of the classroom.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement ix
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Part I. Orientation
- Introduction 3
- Researching whole people and whole lives 17
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Part II. Qualitative and case studies
- Self-regulatory strategies of foreign language learners 47
- “Opening up to the world”? 75
- Politics of identification in the use of lingua francas in student mobility to Finland and France 101
- An American in Paris 127
- Exploring the potential of high school homestays as a context for local engagement and negotiation of difference 155
- The transformation of “a frog in the well” 179
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Part III. Pragmatics and identity
- “I joke you don’t” 207
- Getting over the hedge 239
- Identity and honorifics use in Korean study abroad 269
- A corpus-based study of vague language use by learners of Spanish in a study abroad context 299
- Afterword 333
- Name index 337
- Subject index 343
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement ix
-
Part I. Orientation
- Introduction 3
- Researching whole people and whole lives 17
-
Part II. Qualitative and case studies
- Self-regulatory strategies of foreign language learners 47
- “Opening up to the world”? 75
- Politics of identification in the use of lingua francas in student mobility to Finland and France 101
- An American in Paris 127
- Exploring the potential of high school homestays as a context for local engagement and negotiation of difference 155
- The transformation of “a frog in the well” 179
-
Part III. Pragmatics and identity
- “I joke you don’t” 207
- Getting over the hedge 239
- Identity and honorifics use in Korean study abroad 269
- A corpus-based study of vague language use by learners of Spanish in a study abroad context 299
- Afterword 333
- Name index 337
- Subject index 343
