Exploring the L2 Motivational Self System through Lexical Availability and Overseas Experience amongst English-Major Students in Gran Canaria

Bianca Manuela Sandu; Gina Louise Oxbrow

Autores/as

Bianca Manuela Sandu Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Gina Louise Oxbrow University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Resumen

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the motivational nature of seventy-nine English-major students in the second year of their degree in Modern Languages at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria using DÃ¶rnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System, in combination with an exploration of the variables of lexical availability and overseas experience in the target language context. Preliminary findings indicate the following: 1) L2 learning experience emerged as the most significant predictor of subjective intended effort in a model which showed that the relationship between the motivational variables considered was statistically significant; 2) the stronger a student’s Ideal L2 Self, the wider their lexical availability, although analysis of the Ought-to Self showed its marginal relevance; 3) students who have been to an English-speaking country showed a stronger Ideal L2 Self and a richer lexical repertoire.

Keywords: English L2; lexical availability; L2 Motivational Self System; overseas experience.

Resumen

Este artículo da a conocer el análisis de la motivación de setenta y nueve estudiantes de Inglés como Lengua Extranjera en su segundo año del grado en Lenguas Modernas en la Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria a través del Sistema Motivacional del Yo L2 de DÃ¶rnyei, la disponibilidad léxica y la variable de estancia en un país de habla inglesa Los resultados preliminares indican lo siguiente: 1) La experiencia de aprendizaje de L2 fue el predictor más significativo del esfuerzo en un modelo en el que la relación entre las variables de motivación consideradas fue estadísticamente significativo; 2) cuánto más fuerte el Yo Ideal, más amplia la disponibilidad léxica, aunque el análisis de Yo Deóntico mostró la relevancia marginal de este factor; 3) los estudiantes que han ido a un país de habla inglesa tienen un Yo Ideal más fuerte y un repertorio léxico más amplio.

Palabras clave: Inglés L2; disponibilidad léxica; Sistema Motivacional del Yo L2; estancia en un país de habla inglesa.

Biografía del autor/a

Bianca Manuela Sandu, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Bianca Manuela Sandu is an Assistant Lecturer of English at the Faculty of Philolgy in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) where she has been teaching in the Modern Languages Department for three years. She has been carrying out research in lexical availability in Spanish and English as foreign languages for more than ten years and she now researches and writes about the L2 Motivational Self System and its impact on lexical availability.

Gina Louise Oxbrow, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Gina Oxbrow currently works at the Faculty of Philology at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where she is both an associate lecturer in Modern Languages and Vice Dean of Mobility. Her research interests include the implementation and design of CLIL Methodology training programmes, integrated training in language learning strategies, the role of metacognition in second language acquisition, motivational and affective issues in language learning contexts, and lexical approaches in language teaching.

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