Motivation in language learning can come from various sources, such as personal goals, curiosity, passion, career opportunities, travel aspirations, or even the desire to connect with others. Cultivating and maintaining motivation throughout your language-learning journey will undoubtedly contribute to your success in mastering foreign languages.
I have been an extremely motivated learner over the past 5 decades, studying as many as 47 languages to at least a beginning level. In this blog, I discuss the key role motivation plays in achieving foreign language-related learning goals, the things that have motivated me, and what we can do to maintain high levels of motivation.
Table of Contents
1) “The Driving Force Of Motivation In Language Learning
Motivation plays a crucial role in successfully mastering foreign languages. It acts as the driving force behind your learning journey and can significantly impact your progress and achievements. Here are some of the ways:
Sustained Effort: Learning a foreign language requires consistent effort over an extended period. Motivation keeps you engaged and committed to regular practice, even when faced with challenges or setbacks. It helps you maintain a positive attitude, allowing you to persevere through difficult times.
Goal Setting: Motivation helps you set clear goals and objectives for language learning. When you have a strong desire to achieve specific outcomes, such as becoming fluent in a language or being able to communicate effectively during travels, you are more likely to stay focused and work towards those goals.
Overcoming Obstacles: Learning a new language can be challenging, especially when faced with unfamiliar grammar rules, vocabulary, or pronunciation. Motivation provides you with the determination and resilience to overcome these obstacles. It encourages you to seek solutions, practice consistently, and find alternative learning strategies when needed.
Enjoyment and Interest: is an important source of motivation. When you are genuinely interested in a language and its culture, you are more likely to remain engaged and find pleasure in the learning experience. This intrinsic motivation fuels your progress and helps you sustain long-term commitment.
Confidence and Perseverance: Motivation boosts your confidence in your language abilities. As you see yourself making progress and achieving milestones, your motivation in language learning increases, and you develop a positive mindset. This confidence fuels your perseverance, enabling you to tackle more complex linguistic challenges and push beyond your comfort zone.
Cultural Connection: Learning a foreign language allows you to connect with different cultures and people from around the world. Motivation to explore new cultures and broaden your horizons can drive you to master a language more effectively. It opens up opportunities for meaningful interactions, cultural exchange, and a deeper understanding of the world.
Long-Term Commitment: Language learning is a continuous process that requires long-term commitment. Motivation helps you stay dedicated and engaged over an extended period. It prevents you from giving up prematurely and encourages you to make language learning a part of your daily life, fostering consistent progress.
2) Extrinsic Vs. Intrinsic Motivation in Foreign Language Learning
Extrinsic and Intrinsic motivations are two key concepts in psychology that are often applied to many areas, including foreign language learning. Here’s a brief explanation of each:
Extrinsic Motivation: This type of motivation comes from external factors. It is driven by the desire to attain specific outcomes that come from outside of the individual. In terms of foreign language learning, someone who is extrinsically motivated might learn a new language to pass an exam, get a better job, or to be able to communicate on a trip. The motivation could also be to avoid negative outcomes, such as failing a class or not being able to function effectively in a foreign country. While extrinsic motivation can be powerful, it may not lead to as deep or enduring learning as intrinsic motivation, especially if the external rewards or punishments are removed.
Intrinsic Motivation: This form of motivation comes from within the learner. They are driven by personal interest, enjoyment, satisfaction, or a sense of personal challenge. In the context of foreign language learning, someone who is intrinsically motivated might learn a new language because they find it enjoyable, they like the sound of the language, they’re interested in the culture of the country where the language is spoken, or they enjoy the intellectual challenge that comes with learning a new language. Intrinsic motivation is typically associated with deeper learning and longer-term persistence.
In reality, most people are motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. For example, a person might be intrinsically interested in a particular culture and also motivated by the extrinsic benefit of career opportunities that come with being fluent in that culture’s language. Understanding these motivations can be helpful for language teachers and learners alike, as different types of motivation may require different strategies for teaching and learning.
3) Instrumental Motivation and Integrative Motivation
Motivation orientations in language learning can be categorized into two main types: instrumental motivation and integrative motivation. These orientations reflect the underlying reasons and goals individuals have for learning a foreign language. Here’s an explanation of each:
Instrumental Motivation: Instrumental motivation refers to learning a language for practical or utilitarian purposes. Individuals with instrumental motivation are primarily driven by the external benefits that the language can provide. These benefits may include academic requirements, career advancement, job opportunities, or specific goals such as passing an exam or getting a promotion.
For example, someone learning Spanish because it is a requirement for their job in a multinational company would have instrumental motivation. They are motivated by the practical benefits that fluency in Spanish can offer in their professional life.
Integrative Motivation: Integrative motivation, on the other hand, refers to learning a language to integrate into the culture and society of the language speakers. It is driven by the desire to connect with and understand the people and their way of life. Individuals with integrative motivation aim to develop meaningful relationships, appreciate the target language culture, and become a part of the community that speaks the language.
For instance, someone learning Japanese because they have a deep interest in Japanese culture, plan to live in Japan, or want to build relationships with native Japanese speakers would have integrative motivation. They are motivated by the intrinsic value of the language and the desire for cultural immersion.
It’s important to note that instrumental and integrative motivations are not mutually exclusive. Many language learners may have a combination of both motivations to varying degrees. The dominance of one orientation over the other can depend on personal circumstances, goals, and cultural factors.
Understanding your motivation orientation can be helpful in language learning as it influences your approach, dedication, and overall satisfaction. Both instrumental and integrative motivations can be powerful driving forces for success in mastering foreign languages.
4) My Own Extrinsic/Instrumental and Intrinsic/Integrative Motivations
My Language Learning has led to extrinsic and instrumental-type rewards; but, my motivation has always been and still is mainly intrinsic and integrative.
The principal Extrinsic/Instrumental motivations were:
Learned languages as part of my studies at foreign universities:
– Spanish and Portuguese in Colombia for studies of Latin American Literature
– French in Switzerland for studying International Relations
– Polish and Russian for studying Slavic Literature in Poland
– Japanese and Chinese for studying Chinese Literature in Japan
Worked at 2 Major Multinational Corporations
– At Westvaco I oversaw market development for paperboard packaging in Tokyo and speaking, reading, and writing Japanese was essential.
– At GE (General Electric) I worked with Japanese Automotive Companies, the main reasons I got the job was my experience at calling on Japanese customers at Westvaco and my ability in Japanese among other languages.
Lecturing as a Professor and as a Consultant for Corporate Education:
– The main languages I used were Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Nepali, German, Indonesian, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Translation Jobs
– I found part-time work translating from Japanese, Spanish, and Croatian into English. In particular, the Japanese work was paid well, and I earned 50,000 Euros in 4 months. I was put in charge of correcting the work of all the other translators since the Japanese did not write in English well enough and the non-Japanese often misunderstood the source text.
The Principal Intrinsic/Integrative Motivations Were:
I love the sounds of diverse languages:
– From about the age of 6, I spent hours listening to many languages on a shortwave at home. It was like music to my ears!
Each Language has a particular PROSODY. Like music, the central elements in speech prosody are melody (intonation) and rhythm (stress and timing).
I love to hear how languages and speakers use combinations of INTONATION, PITCH, RHYTHM, and STRESS.
Also, I love listening to and learning the great variety of sounds produced in languages.
Music has always played a big role in my foreign language learning. Here in the picture, you can see the relative amount of time I have spent listening to music in different languages from various countries.
Strong curiosity is also a major intrinsic factor.
– When I hear people speaking a foreign language, I often have a strong desire to understand what they are talking about.
– I am CURIOUS about: Other people’s experiences in life. Their perspectives. Their ideas. I am the type of person who starts a conversation in an elevator with a stranger.
By far, the most important factor in becoming a polyglot has been my Passion for Languages and Cultures.
I am fascinated how language/culture frames the way we understand/experience things and events.
– We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language. Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it.” Benjamin Lee Whorf
You can read more about my linguistic/cultural adventures around the globe (99 countries) in my memoir- A Life in 30 Languages at Polyglotdreams.com
Practical Tips For Maintaining Motivation In Language Learning
Here are some practical tips to help you stay motivated:
1. Set Achievable Goals: Break down your language learning objectives into smaller, manageable goals. The ideal outcome is to make your learning process less overwhelming and feel accomplished as you achieve your milestones.
2. Use Language Learning Apps: The Ling app offers a range of fun and interactive lessons to practice many languages daily. With features like gamified lessons, real-life dialogues, and the tracing method for non-Latin alphabets (a feature that helps you learn and write non-Latin scripts by tracing the characters), the Ling app can help you stay engaged and motivated. Its progress-tracking feature is a great motivator, allowing you to see your skills improve over time.
3. Immerse Yourself in the Language: Be closer to the language you want to learn as much as possible by listening to music, watching movies, or reading books. This exposure will help you become more familiar with the sounds and structures of the language, making it easier to learn and retain.
4. Make Learning Fun: Incorporate activities you enjoy into your language learning routine. Whether it’s cooking a recipe from a country where the language is spoken, using apps like Ling for interactive exercises, or playing language-based games, making learning enjoyable can significantly boost your motivation and keep you excited about your learning journey.
5. Reward Yourself: Celebrate your progress by rewarding yourself when you reach specific milestones. Whether it’s a small treat, a new book, or a relaxing break, these rewards are a way of acknowledging your hard work and can help you stay motivated and committed to your learning goals.
Incorporate these practical tips into your routine and use resources like the Ling app to stay motivated and make steady progress in your language learning journey.