Motivation and Its Impact on Language Achievement: Sustainable Development of Ethnic Minority Students’ Second Language Learning

Shi Jiao, Jing Wang, Xu Ma, Zheng You and Dini Jiang
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Shi Jiao: College of Education, Minzu University of China, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
Jing Wang: College of Education, Zhejiang University, Zijingang, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310058, China
Xu Ma: College of Economics, Minzu University of China, Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China
Zheng You: Graduate School of Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Haidian District, Beijing 100089, China
Dini Jiang: College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Chengdu University, Longquanyi District, Chengdu 610106, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: This study examined the English learning motivation of Chinese ethnic university students. A sample of 776 undergraduates from three representative ethnic universities participated in this research. The findings indicated four types of English learning motivation: intrinsic interest, learning situation, personal development, and international communication. There were statistically significant differences between ethnic minority and Han students, and between male and female students. Moreover, the intrinsic interest motivation of Han students was significantly higher than that of ethnic minority students, and female students’ overall motivation and personal development motivation were significantly higher than those of male students. Intrinsic interest motivation had a significantly positive impact on English achievement, whereas learning situation motivation had a significantly negative impact. These findings highlight the improvement of the learning situation and encouragement of intrinsic interest to enhance minority students’ second language learning and sustainable development. Further research on English as a second language should consider the influence of family and ethnic background.

Keywords: English; motivation; achievement; ethnic minority; intrinsic interest; learning situation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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