Revisiting integrative motivation: Validation of International Posture among Malaysian undergraduates

Gardner’s (1985) in his socio-educational model introduced the variable of ‘integrativeness’ as a construct that focuses on English as a Second Language (ESL) learners’ attitudes towards the native English community. Later, Yashima (2002) proposed ‘international posture’ as an affective construct that re-examined ‘integrativeness’. Research conducted to reach a common operationalisation of ‘international posture’ is very limited. Hence, our objective in this study is to determine the level of each measurement construct under the affective variable of International Posture as well as to validate the measurement constructs of this variable among Malaysian undergraduates. In this quantitative study, 540 undergraduate students from a public university were selected. These students responded to a questionnaire that contained the four measurement constructs. For analysing the data, we used Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Our results have proven that the International Posture among Malaysian undergraduates is high, and the measurement constructs of this variable are valid and can be operationalised in the Malaysian English language learning context. The scale validated in the study can contribute to future studies on this variable in the Malaysian English language learning context.

EFL Learners’ Language-Specific Time Attitudes

The present study investigated the time attitudes (TAs) of EFL learners and their willingness and preference to share their TAs with peers and EFL instructors. Limited research has explored willingness and preference to share their TAs —a distinct and meaningful part of their temporal perspective that encompasses their positive and negative feelings about the past, present, and future experiences of English language learning. Participants were 229 students of technical and administrative diploma programmes at a Saudi industrial college in the western region of the country. Data were collected through questionnaires. Findings indicated that (1) students’ responses differed mostly on feelings about the past; (2) participants are more willing to share their feelings with peers than with instructors; (3) students are more willing to share with both peers and instructors their combined past, present, and future experiences; (4) students prefer to share their feelings about their present experiences with peers and instructors compared to their past or future experiences; (5) students prefer to share with peers both negative and positive feelings about their past, present, and future experiences; and (6) students prefer to share only negative feelings with instructors.

Language Learning in the 21st Century

Kahoot! is a gaming system designed for interactive learning and can be utilised for students of all ages. The present study involved two groups of Malaysian ESL students (n = 57) enrolled in a remedial English proficiency course in a public university. All 57 participants were exposed to weekly Kahoot! sessions over a period of one semester; the sessions covered various English language learning components including vocabulary and reading comprehension, but focused largely on grammar. At the end of the semester, the participants completed a 34-item questionnaire comprising closed- and open-ended items. The questionnaire was tested for reliability with returned values indicating high internal consistency, thus making the instrument a reliable option for use in future studies. The study's findings indicate that the students found Kahoot! to be beneficial in terms of: 1) inducing motivation, and 2) fostering and reinforcing learning. The students were also of the opinion that Kahoot! would be useful for foreign language learning (for instance, Spanish and French).

Pendampingan optimalisasi penggunaan media pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris sederhana untuk meningkatkan Creativity Quotient

Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) teachers still do not realize the importance of CQ (Creativity Quotient). It is seen from how the teachers tend to be consumptive and rely only on available media, like a material book. The purpose of this dedication is: 1) to bring over the meaning of CQ in MI level of education, 2) to improve the students’ studying quality, and 3) to maximize the function and university task to build the development of MI education. The method used in this dedication were speech, exhibition, and simulation of creative English language learning media made by the students in Hamzanwadi University and downloaded software media. This training was held in 2021, participated by 25 MI headmasters in the East Lombok district. The product of this training program is the MI headmaster spreading the use of learning media in MI. All MI teachers understand the importance of teaching media used as practical and creative learning tools, and the MI teachers become more creative in providing simple, cheap, and environmentally friendly.

L2 Motivation

Globalization has led to the spread of English, which has become the world’s international language. As a result of its importance in social, economic, and political spheres, many countries have introduced English language learning in their school curricula. However, despite its importance many learners still seem to struggle with English second language (L2) motivation, which is an important element of L2 learning success. The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between several phases of learners’ motivation, including learners’ attributions of past English L2 learning success, current motivational characteristics, and motivation to learn English in the future. Using the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) as a framework, it was found that past learning experiences did not have a significant effect on current learner motivational dispositions. However, elements of the L2MSS had an effect on learners’ intentions to exert effort into future English language learning. In other words, Croatian university students’ L2 motivation was based on their visions for the future rather than on past learning experiences. Moreover, it appears that the ideal L2 self plays a much stronger role in learners’ motivation compared to the ought-to L2 self, and this motivation is tied to utilitarian motives for learning English. In addition, the results showed that other motivational components, such as interest, as well as L2 anxiety, are important elements of learners’ motivation, suggesting cognitive as well as affective aspects in this motivational profile. The complexity of motivation as shown in this study suggests the need for further investigations in various contexts.

INTERNET MEMES AS A WAY OF DEVELOPING FUTURE ENGINEERS’ MOTIVATION TO STUDY A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

Introduction The article considers the issue of increasing the motivation of technical university students to study a foreign language using English-language Internet memes, which are considered to be significant material for teaching Generation Z students. The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate and experimentally test the memes’ effectiveness in building motivation to study a foreign language. The research’s scientific novelty is identifying ways of organizing future engineers’ work with memes based on a variable methodological apparatus. Materials and methods The author analyses the literature on the study of the motivational processes among students of a non-linguistic university studying the English language and using creolized texts to organize their English language-learning process. The research material comprises memes taken from the Internet that correspond to the sections of their discipline program. Results and discussion A workflow for increasing students’ motivation to learn English based on their work with memes has been designed, including methodological and technological, content-motivational, and reflexive-evaluative modules. A methodological experiment has been carried out to test the proposed methods of increasing students’ motivation. An example of organizing the work with memes is given. Conclusion. The results of the methodological experiment conducted at the Trekhgorny Technological Institute confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed methods of developing students’ motivation. It was revealed that memes could become a powerful teaching material that helps to increase the motivation of future engineers to learn English.

EFL Learners’ Language-Specific Time Attitudes

The present study investigated the time attitudes (TAs) of EFL learners and their willingness and preference to share their TAs with peers and EFL instructors. Limited research has explored willingness and preference to share their TAs —a distinct and meaningful part of their temporal perspective that encompasses their positive and negative feelings about the past, present, and future experiences of English language learning. Participants were 229 students of technical and administrative diploma programmes at a Saudi industrial college in the western region of the country. Data were collected through questionnaires. Findings indicated that (1) students’ responses differed mostly on feelings about the past; (2) participants are more willing to share their feelings with peers than with instructors; (3) students are more willing to share with both peers and instructors their combined past, present, and future experiences; (4) students prefer to share their feelings about their present experiences with peers and instructors compared to their past or future experiences; (5) students prefer to share with peers both negative and positive feelings about their past, present, and future experiences; and (6) students prefer to share only negative feelings with instructors.