Learners' motivation has a significant influence on French as a second language teaching and learning (Ryan & Deci, 2020; Flynn, 2018; Zhao, 2015; Gardner, 2001). Recently, there has been an issue of motivation to learn and teach French as a second language and much research on recruitment and retention issues in Canada and abroad (Smith et al. 2022; Masson et al. 2019; Gordon, 2017). Motivation can be impacted by positive and negative feelings related to minority language learning, which are often more about the speaker and the speech community learners belong to, than the language itself (Mahootian, 2020). Researchers have examined students' motivation and success in FSL learning especially in K-12 immersion context, but there has also been an increase in focusing on teachers' perspectives in recent times (Arnott, 2017).
The aim of this paper is to examine the motivational orientation in teaching and learning French as a second language in a minority context. This qualitative study used semi-structured interview to investigate a group of adult learners' motivation in learning French as a second language. Specifically, this research examined teachers who studied French and maintained their motivation to continue to teach French as a second language in an Anglo-dominant context. A semi- structured interview allowed for a richly detailed understanding of teachers' account of their experiences and practices. The findings presented demonstrate the positive influence that parents, teachers, and relevant extracurricular experiences have on students' decision to continue their studies in FSL, as well as the transformations of the students' identity formation and investment which are enhanced through learning French as a second language, the bilingual environment which surrounds it, and students' activities. Recommendations are made to help encourage and promote the learning and teaching of FSL, develop the oral skills of learners and the provision of
a better linguistic learning environment that fosters academic success.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/45229 |
| Date | 08 August 2023 |
| Creators | Sarpong, Annie |
| Contributors | Spiliotopoulos, Vasiliki |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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