Every language learner has had that moment where he wants to drop his language studies -- it’s turned into too much of a hassle, consuming too much time, money, and energy. All of these excuses are basically a lack of motivation. Knowing what your goals are will always keep your language studies more focused and with a greater sense of purpose.
Motivation is the integral factor in the adoption of another language -- whether it be because you want to fetch yourself some exotic Italian partner or because you need to learn another language to improve your job prospects.
Motivational Factors
There are important factors in second language acquisition which make the difference between learners who will eventually become fluent in a language compared to those who will forever have "learn Italian" on their to do lists.
Some of these factors, in no particular order, include:
1. Wanting to integrate with another culture
The learner must have a strong willingness and interest in having social interaction with members of a different culture (and in his language). This is the intrinsic motivation that makes language students willing to sustain the activity of learning.
2. Seeing a language as an instrument
The need to have a second language in order to obtain a job or other similar reasons.
3. Spark
A spark is the first wish of wanting to learn another language. If the initial spark was strong enough this will always be a motivating factor for the language student.
4. Desire to blend in/communicate
After an initial immersion experience, the learner realizes the difference between what he wants to say and what he can say. This starts a sequence of motivation to become more proficient at the language.
5. Political awareness
Finally language can help the learner access the within-group variance of a particular culture.
Motivational Dimensions
The three different motivational dimensions are:
- Are you extrinsically or intrinsically motivated?
- Are you motivated by cause or result?
- Does your motivation come from a need to integrate or an instrumental need of a language?
A strong motivation to lean a language will always be the decisive factor in its adoption. One may hypothesize that a learner with high aptitude may learn with greater ease and speed but that other learners, with high levels of motivation, will be just as successful. It’s just a matter of knowing what you want and that learning a specific language is the way you’re going to achieve that aim. Good luck!
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