English learning motivation of young learners in Danish primary schools

• Published in: Language teaching research : LTR Vol. 24; no. 5; pp. 690 - 713
• Main Author: Fenyvesi, Katalin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2020; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Age Differences; Attitude Change; Children; Elementary Education; Elementary School Students; Elementary Schools; English; English (Second Language); English as a second language; English as a second language learning; English as an international language; English Language Learners; Foreign Countries; Game Based Learning; Gender Differences; Grade 1; Grade 3; High Achievement; Individualized Instruction; Language Attitudes; Learning Motivation; Low Achievement; Mixed methods research; Motivation; Second Language Learning; Student attitudes; Student Motivation; Video Technology; Vocabulary Development; Denmark; input-rich language environment; L2 attitudes; mixed methods research design; young learners of English; L2 motivation
• ISSN: 1362-1688; 1477-0954
• DOI: 10.1177/1362168818804835

This study has investigated, in a quantitative survey, how the attitudes toward English lessons and the motivation for learning English as a foreign language (EFL) of 276 Danish EFL learners (starting age 7 and 9 years) changed within one year. Second, a subsample of children were interviewed. The study investigated what they liked and disliked about English lessons, and what motivated them to learn English. The results have shown that children’s positive attitudes toward their English lessons decreased significantly during the time of the study. More boys than girls described English as their favorite subject, and children enjoyed real-life situations, variation and differentiation in the English lessons. Children were strongly motivated by English being an international language, their reliance on significant others as motivators for FL learning decreased significantly with time, and high achievers, as opposed to low achievers, were motivated by engaging in gaming and watching YouTube videos in English. Pedagogical implications are discussed.