Dynamicity of Motivational Change in Learning Japanese as a Foreign Language

Enhancing students’ motivations could lead to the improvement of students’ academic achievement in second language acquisition. Many scholars have discussed changes and outcomes of motivation over the language learning process to examine the relationship between attitudes, motivation, and language learning outcome. The present study examines how some high school student learners of Japanese in an American high school have changed or maintained their motivational levels toward learning Japanese, as well as how their motivation in their second language learning can be influenced by classroom activities. The results of the questionnaire data, the classroom observation data, and the interview data indicate that students’ positive past learning experience in the instructional setting is an important factor in their motivational level change toward language learning. Finally, this study suggests that teachers should understand the functions and causes of motivations for more effective teaching