Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > 'Great Expectations': The motivational profile ...

Electronic data

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

'Great Expectations': The motivational profile of Hungarian English language students.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
Close
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>02/2008
<mark>Journal</mark>Arts and Humanities in Higher Education
Issue number1
Volume7
Number of pages18
Pages (from-to)65-82
Publication StatusPublished
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

In this article we investigate what characterizes the language learning motivation of Hungarian English language students in terms of Dörnyei and Ottó's process model of motivation (Motivation in Action, 1998). We used a mixed-method research design, in which qualitative interviews conducted with 20 students were supplemented with questionnaire data gained from 100 participants in order to have a better understanding of the apparent discrepancy between students' and society's expectations of teaching English Language at tertiary level and the present educational system in Hungary. The ambivalent nature of English language students' motivational profile was found to reflect this situation. The interview data revealed that the respondents had very favourable motivational characteristics but they did not invest sufficient energy in maintaining and improving their language competence. This is explained with reference to a low level of learner autonomy primarily caused by teacher-centered instruction.

Bibliographic note

The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 7 (1), 2008, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2008 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Arts and Humanities in Higher Education page: http://ahh.sagepub.com/ on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/