Special Features Concerning the Motivation of Adults for Learning Foreign Languages

Straipsnyje apžvelgiama suaugusiųjų užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvacija, ją stimuliuojantys veiksniai, apibendrinami mokslinio tyrimo, atlikto Lietuvoje, Vokietijoje ir Šveicarijoje, rezultatai. Nustatyti prioritetiniai užsienio kalbų mokymosi motyvai, analizuojama emocinės būsenos, patiriamos sąveikoje su mokymosi objektu, motyvacinė orientacija, užsienio kalbų mokymosi perspektyvos, mokymosi galimybės. Pateikiamos išvados, apibendrinama, kad tyrimo rezultatai gali būti naudingi tobulinant užsienio kalbų mokymą(si), plečiant ir gilinant žinias apie mokymosi motyvacijąMotivation for learning foreign languages helps the learner to reach the objectives, influences successful learning and the quality of knowledge. A foreign language as an object of learning is connected with aims, interests and causes – stimuli, which are called learning motives. Adults’ learning of foreign languages is stimulated and determined by various motives, the value of which is different: some of them are more effective, more powerful for motivation; some are less effective, and have less influence on it. A person is most strongly affected by the motives that are most relevant to him/her, that usually dominate. The dominating motives for adults’ learning foreign languages are travelling abroad, the wish to be an educated and cultivated person, willingness to communicate with foreigners using their mother tongue and understand other cultures and also professional development. Summing up the choice of learning motives, it may be pointed out that the most important motives are those which meet social demands, as well as needs of self-expression and existence. The level of learners’ motivation is influenced by internal and external, primary and secondary factors. The internal factors are the importance of the need, profundity of the interests, attitude towards the object of learning, the place that the object of learning preoccupies among the values of life, intentions, and individual features of the person. The external factors are influence, made by other persons, the appeal of the object and its importance in the personal life of an individual, the geographical and social environment surrounding him/her, and opportunities to learn. Primary factors are interest, curiosity, the joy of success. Secondary factors are reward, willingness to make somebody happy, and be useful to the society. Analysis of the motivation for foreign language learning includes motives for learning, (self) evaluation of how much language has been learnt, orientation attitudes, purposefulness of motivation, emotional states of the individual that he/she undergoes while he/she is in contact with the object of learning motivation, etc. Research and analysis of motivation of learning, the spread of the good experience of other persons is useful while forming a positive attitude towards learning foreign languages and raising the level of motivation of learning