Amotivation in Filipino ESL learners: Exploring some correlates

The study explores correlates of Filipino students’ reasons for amotivation in learning English as a second language. Students answered questionnaires on reasons for amotivation, approaches to learning, and language use outside school. Results show that amotivation is positively associated with surface learning approaches but negatively associated with deep learning approaches. Frequency of use of English in activities outside school was also associated with dimensions of amotivation. The results indicate how amotivation arises from students’ engagemment of their English classes and the importance of English in their life, and can help ESL teachers identify students at risk of amotivation. © 2016, Universidad de Granada. All rights reserved