L2 motivation, self and identity: Current theoretical perspectives Ema Ushioda Centre for Applied Linguistics University of Warwick Antwerp CALL 2010: Motivation and Beyond

My early background in CALL tandem language learning bilateral project in late 1990s (Ushioda 2000; Ushioda et al. 1999) Connecting students in Ireland (Trinity College Dublin) and Germany (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) A ‘successful’ tandem partnership  more than just ‘L2 learner’ identities

Overview of my talk Implications for exploiting digital technologies Implications for classroom practice Re-theorizing L2 motivation in relation to self and identity Traditional concepts of L2 motivation (integrative motivation)

Traditional L2 motivation concepts L1 community, culture and values L2 learner TL community, culture and values Gardner & Lambert 1959, 1972 Instrumental and integrative L2 motivation

From external to internal processes of identification global Internet community global community of English users me Reconceptualizing integrativeness as an internal process of identification within the self-concept (Dörnyei & Csizér 2002)

Motivation and possible selves Theory of possible selves (Markus & Nurius 1986) Future self-guides which channel motivation Self-discrepancy theory (Higgins 1987) Psychological desire to reduce discrepancy between current and ideal self

L2 Motivational Self System Ideal L2 SelfOught-to L2 Self L2 Learning Experience Dörnyei 2005, 2009 Empirical research: Csizér & Kormos 2009 Ryan 2009 Taguchi et al. 2009

Concepts of identity e.g. Block 2007; Lin 2007 Identity as major issue in applied linguistics Educational Psychologist 44(2), edited by Kaplan & Flum 2009 Identity-oriented theories of motivation in educational psychology intergroup model (Giles & Byrne 1982) situated identity theory (Clément & Noels 1992) Ethnolinguistic identity in theories of SLA and second language communication

L2 motivation and current concepts of identity Pursuit of global, bicultural or multicultural identities Lamb 2004, 2009 Aspirations towards desired social or professional identities in imagined L2 communities Kanno & Norton 2003 Norton 2001 Identities as ways of relating the self to the social world van Lier 2007

Identities personally valued constructions socially forged and negotiated can be contested, resisted, denied Norton 2000, 2001; Menard-Warwick 2009

Linking identity perspectives with possible future selves constantly constructed, negotiated and reconstructed current identities evolving experiences, relations and identities identity goals long-term personal motivational trajectories possible future selves

Linking present L2 experience to future imagined L2 experience Engaging students’ current social identities in their L2 interactions Enables them to engage directly with possible future selves as L2 users

Motivating the person rather than the L2 learner Language as medium of self-expression, giving ourselves voice and identity Language learners as ‘people’, with uniquely individual personalities, histories, identities (Ushioda 2009) L2 motivation theory to date – focus on abstract models and learner types, not people

Motivating the person: Looking beyond L2 motivation literature Learner-centred teachingPersonalisation and authentic communicationHumanistic approachesClassroom management and dynamicsLearner autonomy in language educationDogme language teaching

Dogme movement in ELT Thornbury 2000; Meddings & Thornbury 2009 Inspiration from minimalist-style Danish cinematic movement in 1995 (Dogme 95) Primary focus on conversational interaction among teacher and students Authentic communication, driven by students’ own interests and agendas Value of students’ personal voices and identities

Motivational importance of orienting to students’ preferred identities situated identities doctor/patient speaker/audience teacher/student discourse identities initiator listener questioner transportable identities mother of two keen tennis player science fiction fan Richards 2006: Analysis of classroom talk, based on Zimmerman’s (1998) model of discoursal and social identities

Engaging students’ transportable identities in the digital age Dogme ‘vow of chastity’ or ‘teaching unplugged’ and technology-free (Meddings & Thornbury 2009) But … Web 2.0 …‘Dogme 2.0’ (Vickers 2009) Students’ transportable identities grounded not just in physical but also virtual worlds – cyberspace, blogosphere, social networking, mobile communication technologies Students as ‘digital natives’ (Prensky 2001)

Fusion of personal technology use inside and outside L2 classroom Web 2.0 Communication, collaboration, participation Individual and creative identities Personal interests and needs Everyday technologies and resources Developing L2 skills using same technologies and resources to pursue own needs and interests

To conclude … a shift in identity roles Students as technology ‘experts’ Teacher as ‘learner’ cf. Ushioda et al. in press Reshaping students’ psychological relation to content and process of learning, as they assume greater autonomy (Little 1991) and greater internally regulated motivation (Ushioda 2003) From new situated identities  potential for developing new possible future L2 selves From new situated identities  potential for developing new possible future L2 selves