Learner motivation and individual differences in language learning Dr Louise Courtney Professor Suzanne Graham University of Reading Siena July 2017

Learner Motivation Key element to success of the Language Magician game Concern over de-motivating effects of traditional assessment Feelings of self-efficacy crucial to developing resilience and long term commitment to language learning Learners able to see that they are making progress

Individual Differences Research Evidence indicates; Age-related differences in terms of motivation and outcomes Motivation and feelings of self-efficacy are related to outcomes Hours of instruction linked to FL outcomes Previous studies have shown that there are …….

Questionnaire Design Data collected via an online questionnaire immediately following the game session 22 questions related to the game, language learning in general and perceptions of their own ability (self-efficacy) 2167 responses Around 1500 children responded

Questionnaire design Scale 1-4 – average scores will be reported 1500 learners

Individual Data collected Collected at start of testing: Gender information hours of instruction age at testing – date of birth entered for each learner Test scores and questionnaire responses recorded by game – totals and means calculated in SPSS

Questionnaire results – all learners Scale Average Range Overall 3.31 1-4 Language Magician Game 3.42 Self-efficacy 3.02 Attitudes to learning languages 3.51

Results for game questions - all learners Average 1_0 Game is fun to play 3.71 1_1 Game is easy 2.85 1_2 Would like to play game again 3.72 1_3 Tells me how well I’m doing 3.43

Results for self-efficacy questions - all learners Average 2_0 I can say some words about myself 3.12 2_1 I can write some words about myself 3.01 2_2 I understand what my teacher says to me 3.05 2_3 I can spell the words I’ve learned at school 2.99 2_4 I know what order to put the words in a sentence 2.85

Results for language learning questions - all learners Average 3_0 Learning xx language is important 3.65 3_1 Learning xx language is fun 3.60 3_2 Learning xx language will help me get a good job 3.44 3_3 Learning xx language will help me if I want to travel 3.57 3_4 I would like to have more time to learn xx language 3.31

Gender differences – all learners For the most part the girls displayed significantly more positive attitudes Scale Gender Mean Sig. Diffs. Overall M 3.28 Yes F 3.35 TLM Game 3.36 3.47 Self-efficacy 3.00 NS 3.02 Language Learning 3.46 3.55 Girls display higher levels of motivation than boys –most differences significant to <.001 level

Age-related differences Average age at testing was 9.02 years (6.95-12.13) Questionnaire Average Attitudes to game Self-efficacy Attitudes to language learning Age at testing -.080** .032 -.120** -.073** Does age account for variation in motivation scores? Do younger learners like the game more? Indicates that very little difference across learners of different ages, particularly in relation to attitudes to the game, but older learners may have slightly more negative attitudes and feelings of SE. But correlations are very small.

Open questions – general themes Most liked – the animals, the game aspect, element of challenge, learning while playing, choice element: Not liked – difficulty for some, need more time, a very few thought it was too easy Easiest – first floor, casting spells, listening Most difficult – the last part (floors 3-5), typing when words spoken, making sentences, colouring task (unclear) What learned – new words, more of the language, writing, spelling, that learning can be fun ‘i leart some new skills in german i have never leart before so i thank this site!’

Learners in England and in Germany Challenge and learning more language more prominent among learners in England: ‘I liked that i had to try realy hard and it wasnt easy’ But also more likely to say it was too hard or too easy… Learners in Germany placed more emphasis on writing as being an aspect they disliked ….and on learning about learning from the game: ‘‘Das Englisch Cooler ist als gedacht’; ‘Das ich ganz gut Englisch kann‘ Learners in England more likely to say they learnt new words from the game Ask them to read and then pick out some key comments

TLM results and Individual Differences Average score for all learners 209.09 (s.d. 42.55) Range 51-346 - highest possible score is 348 Some learners performed very well on level 1, whereas others found this more challenging Data only included for those who completed at least the first three exercises

Motivation and Results There is a small but significant relationship between overall questionnaire scores and results (r=.178, p<.001) There is a small but significant relationship between overall attitudes to the game and results (r=.167, p<.001) Very small but significant correlation with self-efficacy scores (r=.120**)and language attitudes (r=.111**)

Gender Differences - outcomes Despite boys being less motivated than girls their average score is slightly higher but differences are not significant Female 208.17 n = Girls - 208.17 n=1286; Boys 210.03 n=1260

TLM results and age-at-testing There is a small but significant correlation between age at testing and results (r=.231, p<.001) r= 4.06**

Hours of instruction Average no. of hours of instruction = 125.36 (range 10-550) There is wide variation across countries .

Hours of instruction There is a very small but significant relationship between hours of instruction and results (r=.133, p<.001) However, if you control for age at testing then the correlation is stronger and significant (r=.263, p<.001) meaning that hours of instruction does influence outcomes

Summary Generally very positive attitudes to the game and to language learning in general Girls display higher levels of motivation than boys but there is no significant difference in test results Older learners tend to have slightly more negative attitudes to language learning and their own self-efficacy but there are no age-related differences in attitudes to the game

Summary There is wide variation in results from the testing Indicates that game can assess learners across the ability range Motivation related to outcomes but age at testing and hours of instruction are the key factors to explain this variation

Vielen Dank. Thank you. Grazie mille. Muchas gracias.