Learner motivation and individual differences in language learning

Learner motivation and individual differences in language learning Dr Louise Courtney Professor Suzanne Graham University of Reading Siena July 2017

Learner Motivation • Key element to success of the Language Magician game • Concern over de-motivating effects of traditional assessment • Feelings of self-efficacy crucial to developing resilience and long term commitment to language learning • Learners able to see that they are making progress

Individual Differences • Research Evidence indicates; – Age-related differences in terms of motivation and outcomes – Motivation and feelings of self-efficacy are related to outcomes – Hours of instruction linked to FL outcomes

Questionnaire Design • Data collected via an online questionnaire immediately following the game session • 22 questions related to the game, language learning in general and perceptions of their own ability (self-efficacy) • 2167 responses

Questionnaire design • Scale 1 -4 – average scores will be reported

Individual Data collected • Collected at start of testing: – Gender information – hours of instruction – age at testing – date of birth entered for each learner • Test scores and questionnaire responses recorded by game – totals and means calculated in SPSS

Questionnaire results – all learners Scale Average Range Overall 3. 31 1 -4 Language Magician Game 3. 42 1 -4 Self-efficacy 3. 02 1 -4 Attitudes to learning languages 3. 51 1 -4

Results for game questions - all learners Question Average 1_0 Game is fun to play 3. 71 1_1 Game is easy 2. 85 1_2 Would like to play game again 3. 72 1_3 Tells me how well I’m doing 3. 43

Results for self-efficacy questions - all learners Questions Average 2_0 I can say some words about myself 3. 12 2_1 I can write some words about myself 3. 01 2_2 I understand what my teacher says to me 3. 05 2_3 I can spell the words I’ve learned at school 2. 99 2_4 I know what order to put the words in a sentence 2. 85

Results for language learning questions - all learners Questions Average 3_0 Learning xx language is important 3. 65 3_1 Learning xx language is fun 3. 60 3_2 Learning xx language will help me get a good job 3. 44 3_3 Learning xx language will help me if I want to travel 3. 57 3_4 I would like to have more time to learn xx language 3. 31

Gender differences – all learners • For the most part the girls displayed significantly more positive attitudes Scale Overall TLM Game Self-efficacy Language Learning Gender Mean M F M F Sig. Diffs. 3. 28 3. 35 3. 36 3. 47 3. 00 3. 02 3. 46 3. 55 Yes NS Yes

Age-related differences Average at testing was 9. 02 years (6. 95 -12. 13) Age at testing Questionnaire Average Attitudes to game Selfefficacy Attitudes to language learning -. 080** . 032 -. 120** -. 073**

Open questions – general themes • Most liked – the animals, the game aspect, element of challenge, learning while playing, choice element: • Not liked – difficulty for some, need more time, a very few thought it was too easy • Easiest – first floor, casting spells, listening • Most difficult – the last part (floors 3 -5), typing when words spoken, making sentences, colouring task (unclear) • What learned – new words, more of the language, writing, spelling, that learning can be fun ‘i leart some new skills in german i have never leart before so i thank this site!’

Learners in England in Germany • Challenge and learning more language more prominent among learners in England: ‘I liked that i had to try realy hard and it wasnt easy’ • But also more likely to say it was too hard or too easy… • Learners in Germany placed more emphasis on writing as being an aspect they disliked • …. and on learning about learning from the game: ‘‘Das Englisch Cooler ist als gedacht’; ‘Das ich ganz gut Englisch kann‘ • Learners in England more likely to say they learnt new words from the game

TLM results and Individual Differences • Average score for all learners 209. 09 (s. d. 42. 55) • Range 51 -346 - highest possible score is 348 • Some learners performed very well on level 1, whereas others found this more challenging

Motivation and Results • There is a small but significant relationship between overall questionnaire scores and results (r=. 178, p<. 001) • There is a small but significant relationship between overall attitudes to the game and results (r=. 167, p<. 001) • Very small but significant correlation with selfefficacy scores (r=. 120**)and language attitudes (r=. 111**)

Gender Differences - outcomes Girls - 208. 17 n=1286; Boys 210. 03 n=1260

TLM results and age-at-testing r= 4. 06**

Hours of instruction • Average no. of hours of instruction = 125. 36 (range 10 -550) • There is wide variation across countries

Hours of instruction • There is a very small but significant relationship between hours of instruction and results (r=. 133, p<. 001) • However, if you control for age at testing then the correlation is stronger and significant (r=. 263, p<. 001) meaning that hours of instruction does influence outcomes

Summary • Generally very positive attitudes to the game and to language learning in general • Girls display higher levels of motivation than boys but there is no significant difference in test results • Older learners tend to have slightly more negative attitudes to language learning and their own self-efficacy but there are no agerelated differences in attitudes to the game

Summary • There is wide variation in results from the testing • Indicates that game can assess learners across the ability range • Motivation related to outcomes but age at testing and hours of instruction are the key factors to explain this variation

Vielen Dank. Thank you. Grazie mille. Muchas gracias.