Investigating motivation in students learning English as a L2 and belonging to a level equal to or greater than the B1

Abstract

This paper investigates the aspect of motivation in students learning English as a L2 and belonging to a level equal to or greater than the Threshold level (B1) according to the CEFR. For this purpose, adults who have studied English as a L2 in the past year at an English language school in Liverpool, U.K. were asked to take part in this survey. Data for this study were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire sought to determine which type of motivation (intrinsic or extrinsic) sustained the language learning process of students studying English in a native English speaking country; additionally, the questionnaire investigated the different factors affecting student motivation in the same context. Furthermore, this paper focuses on the literature published on the topic of motivation in foreign and second language learning, both in the past and in recent years. A more in-depth discussion on the classroom environment concerning the teacher’s influence on the learner, the classroom setting, and the students’ learning styles, intelligences and personalities altogether is also provided. Finally, the new challenges and needs encountered in modern languages teaching and learning by both students and teachers are explored.