The document summarizes the results of a survey given to students at Kanda University of International Studies about their motivations for language learning. The survey found that students were primarily motivated to learn English for its instrumental uses in university, their future careers, and international communication. Students saw native-like fluency as important for English but not as essential for other languages. They enjoyed multilingual environments but also saw benefits to English-only settings for improving skills. Most saw English as more useful personally and professionally than their regional language.

1. If English is the language of internationalism and
business, what place does a third language have?
A survey of students’ motivations for language learning.
Carol Begg.
Kanda University of International Studies

2. ELI & ILC
International
Languages &
Culture

3. The Study

4. Instrument & Respondents
• Online Questionnaire (54 points)
• Quantitative 21%
• Qualitative
• Sophomore Year 21%
58%
Portuguese
Thai
Vietnamese

5. Motivations: Instrumentality
“...for many learners it is the usefulness of L2
proficiency in English that provides the greatest
driving force.”
Csizer & Dornyei 2005
• At university
• In a fluctuating economy
• English as a tool for peace & understanding
• English as an ideology
• English as a cultural symbol

6. Motivations: Integrative
“...the term is used frequently in literature, though
close inspection will reveal that it has slightly
different meanings to many different individuals.”
Gardner 2001
• Cultural interest
• Imagined communities
• English as globalism / Internationalism
• English as an ideology
• English as a cultural symbol

7. Native-like Skill
Regional Language English
7%
7%
12%
81%
93%
Agree/ Strongly Agree
Agree/ Strongly Agree Undecided
Undecided Disagree

8. Native-like Skill
“I want to work there.”
“I want to work with Thai or use Thai”
“I want to stay in Thailand so I have to be native-like speaker.”
“...in the future Brazil will grower than Japan so our society needs people who
can speak Portuguese. And they have to have business to use Portuguese.
“I think the same idea to about Portuguese. In the future Japan is going to
declining our business, so we can speak English for Japanese future.”
“Now, English is the common language all over the world. If I can not
understand, probably I can’t alive.”
“I think we will face English at work among the world first.”

9. Native-like Skill
“It is enough for me to communicate English
speaker with non-native speaking”
“Because some of the countries speaks English but
that countries does not speak native-like.”

10. It is better to have native-like fluency in two languages, than
to be multilingual but not native-like in the other languages.
25%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Undecided
Disagree
50%
25%

11. “It depends on the situation. If I need the skill to communicate
deeply, I need have like fluency. And if I want to try or travel a
lot of countries, other one is sounds good”
“I think multilingual would be a key person in society, but a lot
of people need a deep conversation. I think we should
cultivate to speak in two or three languages.”

12. Bilingual expert vs. Multilingual novice
“I think the more languages we can understand, the better
we can understand one another.”
“because if I can speak other language more fluency, maybe
many people can understand my mind or my ideas more than
now.”
“...Although if I can speak only 2 languages I can take
communicate with only those languages countries. It’s boring
for me.”

13. “The motivation to learn a foreign language
includes the motivation to communicate with
dissimilar others, meet diverse views, critically
evaluate and integrate these perspectives, and take
on new perspectives”
Yashima CUE 2011

14. I enjoy being in a multilingual environment.
11%
39%
50%
Agree
Strongly Agree
Undecided

15. Multilingual Environment
“I can get some new information about other country from others”
“I can learn not only one language and culture but also other culture.”
“I can learn about lots of way to thinking, and I can increase my
vocabulary.”
“I can learn a lots of types of languages at once.”
“We can not only study language but also study culture of other
country.”
“I can know many languages.”
“Everything has influence on me.”

16. Multilingual Environment
“I can get some new information about other country from others”
“I can learn not only one language and culture but also other culture.”
“I can learn about lots of way to thinking, and I can increase my
vocabulary.”
“I can learn a lots of types of languages at once.”
“We can not only study language but also study culture of other
country.”
“I can know many languages.”
“Everything has influence on me.”

17. I enjoy being in an English only environment.
17%
33%
33%
17%
Agree
Strongly Agree
Undecided
Disagree

18. English Only Environment
“I can realise my improve points”
“I can speak only English and improve my skills.”
“It can help me improve my skills.”

19. English Only Environment
“I can realise my improve points”
“I can speak only English and improve my skills.”
“It can help me improve my skills.”

20. English will be more useful English will be more useful
(than my RL) for me (than my RL) for me
professionally. personally.
18% 18%
41% 41%
41% 41%
Strongly Agree Agree
Strongly Agree Agree Undecided
Undecided

21. Concrete Images
“ I wanna be ground staff at airport. It is common language
in the world”
“Almost all companies are changed to use English as the
common language.”
“ Music, movie, speech who spoken famous people, a lot of
things are using English.
“In Japan, everybody study English and a lot of tourist
increase.”

22. In the future, English will help me...
communicate with foreigner future job
communicate with lots of people in any my job
situation work
work
for job
to go abroad work of future
work and travel
job and travel
to work and live abroad
“... yes, if no, it’s no meaning to study”

23. My RL will be more useful My RL will be more useful
(than English) for me (than English) for me
professionally. personally.
6% 6% 6%
18%
12%
18% 18%
23%
41%
52%
Strongly Agree Strongly Agree
Agree Agree
Undecided Undecided
Disagree Disagree
Strongly Disagree Strongly Disagree

24. Vague/Limited Images
“ I like Thai but I don’t want to work in Thai.”
“Portuguese is in great demand in future.”
“Because I will stay in Thailand.”
“ My friends, family and other people can’t speak
Portuguese.
“In Japan, Portuguese is not useful.”
“There are no Brazilian and Portuguese near my residential
area.”

25. In the future, my RL will help me...
it might help me to communicate with a
lot of people for job
work that use RL
job and hobby
travel some countries
“... maybe I will not use”

26. For me, English is...

27. Communication/Internationalism
• “a tool to communicate with a lot of people.”
•“for communicate with many other countries people.”
•“the way to learn many cultures.”
ILC
Important Ability & Tool
• “important to work.” • “one of my ability”
• “important language.” • “necessary tool to life.”
• “very important thing.” • “first another language.”

28. For me, my RL is...

29. Challenge / Development
• “new challenge...”
• “regional language gives an effect on my life.”
• “to speak Thai can grow me.”
• “good opportunity to learn.”
ILC
Importance
Ability & Tool
• “important.” • “the strong point if I can
• “important thing.” use fluently”
• “I need for future.”
• “not so important.”

30. For me, English is ... “everyday.”
“have to study.”

31. For me, my RL is ... “the unknown world.”