Motivational and Self-identity Changes Experienced by Saudi EFL Students in USA

Abstract

This research investigated potential changes in motivation of Saudi students studying English as their L2 in USA. It investigated whether the beliefs and motivations of Saudi students studying EFL in USA change during their learning experience, and the pedagogical implications of such a change, not only for the teaching of English to Saudi students in USA, but also for the teaching of English in Saudi higher education institutions. It aims to ascertain the reasons behind such changes in motivation as well as any impact it may have on students’ attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language. The data for the study was collected by using interviews. The subjects of the study are newly arrived Saudi students (3 PhD and 29 MA) in different fields; Linguistics, Applied Linguistics and Translation studying at (4) different universities in USA. The conceptual framework is primarily based on Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System theory and Dörnyei & Ushioda’s framework of motivation and L2 self (2009). The results of the study showed that the participant’s experienced motivational changes and self-identity changed after they moved to study in USA. The findings of the study showed that changes in motivation are usually accompanied by changes in the students’ involvement in classrooms, attitudes towards the target language and positive or negative impacts on the students’ results and language competencies.

This research investigated potential changes in motivation of Saudi students studying English as their L2 in USA. It investigated whether the beliefs and motivations of Saudi students studying EFL in USA change during their learning experience, and the pedagogical implications of such a change, not only for the teaching of English to Saudi students in USA, but also for the teaching of English in Saudi higher education institutions. It aims to ascertain the reasons behind such changes in motivation as well as any impact it may have on students’ attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language. The data for the study was collected by using interviews. The subjects of the study are newly arrived Saudi students (3 PhD and 29 MA) in different fields; Linguistics, Applied Linguistics and Translation studying at (4) different universities in USA. The conceptual framework is primarily based on Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System theory and Dörnyei & Ushioda’s framework of motivation and L2 self (2009). The results of the study showed that the participant’s experienced motivational changes and self-identity changed after they moved to study in USA. The findings of the study showed that changes in motivation are usually accompanied by changes in the students’ involvement in classrooms, attitudes towards the target language and positive or negative impacts on the students’ results and language competencies.