Chapter 3:
EFL (ESP) LEARNING MOTIVATION CONNECTION WITH IMPROVED LA THROUGH LLS IMPLEMENTATION

Boryana Ruzhekova-Rogozherova

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Numerous pieces of research have been conducted in the purpose of examining EN (FL) learning motivation (LM) and LA connection. Teaching experience practical findings have not contradicted, though, research insights. What is more, empiric observations have also witnessed on many occasions to LM direct ratio to LA enhancement and vice-versa as well. The better learner understanding of taught language material becomes, the more intensively LM increases, the more interested in examined categories students grow and the more enthusiastic about tasks performing and participating they are. These positive developments, on the other hand, influence beneficially learner LA development, contributing to all of its components referred to above.

The current chapter, final in this study, is aimed at presenting concisely in theoretical perspective LM features in terms of LM / LA interconnectedness, and at revealing practical findings corroborated by EFL and ESP survey analysis, empirically supporting theoretical insights.

First, LM will be defined and examined with respect to its essential components, next, LM / LA relationship will be briefly considered, and, finally, LA / LM survey results will be referred to, in support of scientifically built conceptions.

Motivation essence and its components

To characterize LM and to reveal LM / LA crucial importance in ELT (FLT), we shall refer to the studies below, displaying this phenomenon multifaceted nature, this way, preparing LM characteristics further presentation and interpretation.

LM represents "a psychological trait which leads people to achieve some goal" (Encyclopedic 1998: 219-220)⁸⁶. LM is subdivided into: intrinsic (sense of achievement and satisfaction in language learning), extrinsic (obtaining a certificate, a better position)⁸⁷, instrumental (utilitarian learning objectives) and integrative (aiming at language integration)⁸⁸. Research and practice have witnessed to the fact that LM can be influenced by numerous factors, among which feelings towards studied language, individual expectations of success, relevanceof goals, consciousness degree in learning, tightly related to LA building, support on the part of lecturers, interest, persistence, learning autonomy, personalization, vividness and tangibility in teaching, appropriate LLS implementation, stimulating cognitive teaching, feedback, tasks up to learners’ level, lecturer’s enthusiasm, professional qualification and interest in students, variety of teaching methods and their appropriate and creative application, acquired knowledge transferability in real-life, innovative methodology and many other factors in strict connection with taught material and teaching context specifics⁸⁹.

LM complexity and multiplicity is also exemplified in Dörnyei’s elaborated LM model (Dörnyei 1998), according to which LM comprises three main levels (or components), Language Level, Learner Level, Learning Situation Level, and their subcomponents. Hereby will be only briefly mentioned selected subcomponents, essential in LM / LA connection clarification, further commented on. Thus, Course-Specific Motivational subcomponents (pertaining to Learning Situation Level) comprise interest, relevance of teaching material and approaches, expectancy of successful achievement and results satisfaction. Learner Level constituent includes need for achievement, self-confidence (including language use anxiety, perceived L₂ competence and self-efficacy).

Dörnyei’s model is in line with a more detailed LM framework developed by Williams & Burden (1997) (in Dörnyei 1998) emphasizing on mastery, linguistic knowledge and consciousness attached to internal motivation factors, amongst which need to be mentioned arousal of curiosity, optimal degree of challenge, personal relevance and anticipated value of outcomes of an activity, feelings of competence, awareness of developing skills and mastery in a chosen area, self-efficacy, personal definitions and judgments of success and failure, etc. Quite consistently, Williams & Burden (1997: 120) define motivation as: "a state of cognitive and emotional arousal, which leads to a conscious decision to act, and which gives rise to a period of sustained intellectual and/or physical effort in order to attain a previously set goal (or goals)".

Yet another type of eloquent evidence on LM cognitive essence, evident through LM contributing factors, some of which matching LA ones (rf. Chapter 1), and, this way, worth referring to, is provided by the "Motivating Learners" project (2003-2007), based on Sheppard (1998) and Chamot (1998). This study reveals motivation is strongly dependent on learners understanding of their interlanguages characteristic features, on error awareness often deriving from systematic interference "false rules", on promoting learning involvement through student progress evaluation and revealing connections between taught material and real-life situations. The project testifies to the need of equipping learners with appropriate LLS, among which, goal setting, checking progress and understanding, background knowledge use, creating associations, meaning inference from context, anticipation of coming information, relating concepts to real life experiences, pattern and rule discovery and application, concepts graphical relationship presentation, focusing on key structures, etc., in the objective of contributing to improved learner autonomy, and, this way, to enhanced LM. The project affirms that it is crucial to support students’ recognition of "their own thinking processes" and to develop "self-knowledge that leads to self-regulation" as learners "with greater metacognitive awareness understand the similarity between the current learning task and previous ones, know the strategies required for successful learning, and anticipate success as a result of knowing how to learn".

How are LM and LA mutually connected?

As it has already become evident, LA, with its multifaceted essence, comprising as essential subcomponents attention, noticing, focusing, consciousness and understanding does strongly contribute to LM⁹⁰. On the other hand, LM also influences beneficially LA, corroborating crucial LA factors. LM ↔ LA mutual connectedness is crucial to be revealed not only in theoretical perspective, but also for practical and applied reasons, in the objective of opposing some not long ago popular views, though with a restricted number of adherents, on unconsciousness in acquisition. Theory and practice, supporting LA and LM common building conception, do not contradict even Crashen’s (Crashen 1985) and his followers’ views insisting on unconscious acquisition. What is more, insights on LM ↔ LA interrelation partially complement and build upon referred to ideas, as Crashen’s hypothesis (Crashen 1985) concerns understandable input, which is impossible without the attainment of some prior LA degree, due to understanding essence (rf. Chapter 1 as to LA components).

To be more explicit, some reference to the above section on LM essence and characteristics will be again made. Many researchers have emphasized on consciousness significance as a LM strengthening factor, this way stating LM cognitive nature.

Thus for example, the concepts of LM factors, such as expectations of success, intrinsic value of a task residing in interest to studied material, within the framework of expectancy-value theories (Dörnyei 1998, Williams & Burden 1997), are tightly related to LA constructs, such as noticing, attention and understanding. Individual success expectations are dependent on task analysis, noticing of taught category features, patterns and regularities, attending to them and achieving a deeper awareness degree or understanding through adequately applied LLS. Similarly, interest contributing to a task value, is mutually connected to noticing, attending and understanding.

Further on, crucial in LM learner autonomy (LrA) or learners’ responsibility for their results, related to learners’ awareness of "their own thinking processes", of their interlanguages, of successful learning strategies ("Motivating Learners" project 2003-2007), etc., is preconditioned by numerous LA components and their development aspects, along with understanding growth of taught material in linguistic (with respect to learners’ profile and teaching objectives), cultural and social perspective.

In addition, Dörnyei’s views (Dörnyei 1998) on multiplicity of language, simultaneously being a coding system, mental activity and social organization tool, which determines LM complexity, unequivocally reveals LA / LM interconnectedness. LM needs to be logically built due to language (language in general as well as each individual language system) logical structure, which cannot be mastered without LA teaching; successfully built language and linguistic competence do promote further LM.

Further LA / LM interconnection evidence from LA oriented research

Previous section being based on LM / LA relationship evidence from LM oriented studies mainly, this chapter will proceed with briefly presenting material from LA oriented research to more convincingly treat the examined connection. A number of articles focusing on various LA issues, having been researched, a conclusion concerning numerous LA / LM common components has been reached. A few of them will be only referred to⁹¹.

Thus, for example, according to Schmidt (1994a), consciousness, often regarded as synonymous to awareness, can be treated in different perspectives, as intentionality, attention, awareness and control. All these facets are tightly involved with explicitness / implicitness opposition, stressing on explicitness relevance, though in a different way, mutually contributing to LA formation and enhancement. It is considered (Schmidt (1994a) that deliberate or intentional learning is a prerequisite to explicit knowledge, and, that alertness, a basic attention constituent, is connected to the intention to learn. It is evident that intentionality represents a really crucial LA formation element. However, not only does it pertain to LA, but also to LM, LM by definition implying the intention and the willingness to learn a FL as well as to consciously direct efforts into the desired goal achievement.

Intentionality importance in LA is further corroborated in Schmidt (1994b), referring to intentionality as an explicit learning component; intentionality is considered, consequently, in our view, related to "selective attention" and awareness of language rules. In Schmidt’s perspective intentionality plays the part of language learning facilitator and assistance provider in formulating and verifying hypotheses as to language categories functioning. Hypothesizing, belonging to crucial cognitive LLS, close to induction procedures, and, thus, being a really powerful LA tool, needs to be considered also a LM one, due to better achievement / LM improvement connection.

In the objective of referring to common LA / LM constituents, Penz (2001) will be quoted with her study in support of LA improvement, a FL learning contributor, within the framework of social and peer interaction. The author confirms interaction beneficial role to general LA, including better awareness of learners’ "own language learning process", stemming from practical contrastive analysis with NL students, performed while editing mails to their peers, predicting possible understanding problems and correcting their partners’ materials. Referred to paper, displaying participants’ willingness to work and interest in LA activities, is yet another proof to LA / LM mutual relationship; peer work, error correction, contrastive analysis, preconditioning CT, a powerful LM device⁹², need to be treated, in our view, as procedures pertaining to LA as well as to LM.

Sysoyev (1999), depicting in detail his EEE integrative grammar teaching method (Exploration, Explanation and Expression), presents a further evidence of LA / LM interconnection. This cognitively oriented article, in the line with Canale & Swain (1980), including grammatical in communicative competence, focuses on form-meaning integration teaching approach. Enhanced LA, stemming from described EEE procedures, preconditioning form / semantics relationship understanding, aroused interest in language while exploring, discovering patterns by induction and formulating rules, highlighting of forms and meaningful, content-based learner interaction, leads to improved LM. Students’ positive attitude to cognitive EEE method was confirmed by an anonymous questionnaire, yet another proof, in our view, to LA and LM common essence, both mutually stimulating and interdependent phenomena.

Noonan (2004; 2005), among other researchers, emphasizes on the need of explicitness to stimulate implicit knowledge internalization through various noticing procedures. LA / LM interconnection is not explicitly stated by Noonan; notwithstanding, current study author is convinced it is present as knowledge internalization invariably leads to enhanced performance, which preconditions improved LM, in accordance with Gardner (1985).

Similarly to Noonan (2004, 2005), Ellis (2006) emphasizes on explicitness relevance in language learning. Low salience of a language category, lack of highlighting, of explicit form / meaning based instruction, especially on competing or not prominent cues, can induce L₂ learning errors, views current study author agrees with. To remedy, LA, with its components of "selective attention", "form-focused instruction", "intentionally focused attention", should be enhanced. Here again, we do notice intentionality in purposefully mentioned above LA constituents, element, crucial to LA as well as to LM formation.

Following brief reference to LM / LA common features, based on research papers witnessing to these phenomena mutual impact in LM ↔ LA perspectives, a few paragraphs will be devoted to practical proof, deriving from teaching experience and conducted learner surveys, on LA / LM tight and beneficial connectedness. As it is going to become apparent, practice and theory do not contradict their insights; moreover, they equally support them, this way contributing to LM and LA concepts further elaboration and creating opportunities for more enthusiastic lecturer and teacher involvement in LA / LM joint promotion in the objective of better teaching / learning results and enhanced learner performance. Exemplifying instances will be based on author’s EFL and ESP teaching experience.

A study will be referred to, to start with, treating the topic of learners’ attitudes assessment in terms of cognitive teaching parameters and motivation within the ESP on geotechnics course at the Todor Kableshkov University of Transport in Sofia. The paper⁹³ written in the perspective of MR construction through implemented in teaching process LLS aimed at learner LA enhancement, comments on the applied cognitive approaches, the author describing essential teaching procedures in terms of their basic characteristics, sub procedures, impact on MSc learners and further studying LM in the field of ESP on geotechnics.

The study revealed the following percentages of learner approval with respect to each of the assessed course parameters (cognitive approaches), among which we are referring to most essential ones, displayed in the table below. It needs to be mentioned, though, that all parameters comprise to a various extent CT and CpT procedures, their role greatly contributing to noticing, pattern recognition, this way playing the part of specific highlighting device, and, consequently, to conclusion making and better understanding. Course cognitive descriptors below were evaluated as "excellent", "very good", "good", "not good, but still positive" and "fail". "Fail" column was not used at all, most of survey participants having evaluated course cognitive procedures as excellent or very good.

Course essential cognitive descriptors

• CT in terminology, including English ↔ Bulgarian translation to better grasp terms value and use and sometimes existing partial semantic asymmetry in English / Bulgarian terminology equivalences in both languages;

• Explanatory terminology procedures based on word-formation and synonyms;

• Passive voice essence elucidation procedures and corresponding activities, comprising PV / AV form / semantics comparisons (En / Bg), AV ↔ PV transformation elucidation and exemplification;

• Elucidation procedures about the essence, formation and use of simple forms in contrast with periphrastic continuous ones;

• Explanatory procedures about English perfect periphrasis and its Bulgarian equivalents, including schemes, pattern observation, utterances analysis, overlaps elucidation, values hypothesizing and verification, error analysis;

• Explanatory procedures about the essence, formation and use of -ing words (present participle, adjective and gerund);

• Overall ESP on geotechnics course usefulness;

• Further ESP studying LM or desire for further work to improve knowledge in ESP on geotechnics.

Table 2: Learners’ assessment of crucial course cognitive parameters and further LM⁹⁴

Before commenting on results, two other studies, this time in EFL perspective, mainly, will be briefly referred to.

Carried out survey analysis of a linguistic experiment conducted with high school EFL learners with NL Bulgarian and FL₁ French on the effects of CT (with French and Bulgarian, to a lesser extent) and CpT, within the Passive periphrasis, on learners’ LA enhancement, revealed, likewise, high usefulness rate⁹⁵. A limited number of explored sub strategies will be only mentioned along with their respective evaluation rates.

• Thus, for instance, the approach of AV → PV transformations of English examples accompanied by original English utterances French translation and analogous AV → PV transformations of translated utterances, comprising CpT and CT approaches implementation, was evaluated as 76,39% useful to LA.

• Usefulness degree of PV structure elucidation in comparison with AV in terms of AV / PV components’ roles, and involving CpT, was assessed as 73,61%.

• Illustrating types of relationships, in both languages, between a sentence meaningful and grammatical components, through schemes and diagrams, by means of CpT, CT implementation, was estimated with 69,44% beneficial impact on LA.

• Passive periphrasis CT examination based on comparison with French translation equivalents was evaluated as 63,89% favourable to LA improvement.

An article on LM / LA interrelation (Ruzhekova-Rogozherova 2013b) treated the phenomenon not only theoretically, but also in terms of practice, examining CT / CpT approaches implementation in English perfect teaching in contrast with its Bulgarian equivalents to university students, and improved LA impact on learners’ LM. Essentially applied sub procedures, which will not be exemplified hereby⁹⁶, were the following ones:

• General presentation of English perfect in terms of form / semantics;

• Detailed presentation by means of diagrams and exemplifying utterances of most relevant English perfect values in their interdependence perspective;

• Comparative procedures aiming at revealing similarities and differences between English perfect and simple past values and use;

• Commenting on the presence of a partially equivalent in form and meaning perfect category in Bulgarian (and in French, in terms of brief comments only);

• Example translation from English into Bulgarian;

• Presentation and exemplification of Bulgarian perfect underlying meanings;

• Establishing most relevant contrasts between English and Bulgarian perfect periphrases;

• Numerous consolidating exercises and relevant feed-back.

Referred to approaches were not measured in terms of their utility to LA in percentages, though teaching results demonstrated these sub strategies beneficial influence on learners’ LA components.

All three commented on studies eloquently testify to LA / LM direct ratio relation.

MSc learners (first study) confirmed at the end of carried out survey really high rates of further ESP on geotechnics LM; these results are likely to refer, in author’s view, to LM students had during the course itself, and to their general English studying LM as well.

Second and third research papers results do equally support LA / LM beneficial connection due to positive student reactions in terms of LM components, referred to in both materials. Thus, for example, surveyed learners (second study, Ruzhekova-Rogozherova 2014a) positively reacted toapplied teaching procedures, put forward ideas as to furtheractivities to be performed, shared views on student work participation stimulation andon PV better understanding and learning. To sum up, students showed motivation, evident through interest in study activities and desire to work.

Analysis of LA (CT / CpT) procedures implemented while teaching the English perfect in contrast with Bulgarian equivalents (third study, Ruzhekova-Rogozherova 2013b), revealed cognitive approaches not only contributed to LA enhancement, but also, to positive LM parameters change. LM development was established based on enhanced interest in the examined category, desire to learn and participate in study activities. Learners likewise asked questions leading to additional explanation or feed-back on their ideas stemming from English / Bulgarian perfect improved comprehension in terms of form / semantics / use.

It needs to be affirmed that apart from research witnessing to strong student LM stemming from improved LA, there is also practical experience testifying to LM components stimulating LA. Thus, for example, it was established that multimedia presentations due to their vividness, tangibility, abilities of presenting various types of information through image, text and sound, this way, creating interest and strengthening LM⁹⁷, do contribute to LA enhancement if appropriately used with respect to implemented LLS, suitable to teaching objectives (Ruzhekova-Rogozherova 2017c).

© Boryana Ruzhekova-Rogozherova
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© E-publisher LiterNet, 10.05.2018
Boryana Ruzhekova-Rogozherova. Language Awareness, Language Learning Strategies, Contrastive and Comparative Teaching in ELT and ESP. Varna: LiterNet, 2018