Motivational aspects of Italian students studying English as a foreign language

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to understand how the motivational aspects of learning English as a foreign language (EFL) change in Italian students (from elementary school to high school). According to some theories, there are multiple reasons why students decide to learn a second language and there are also several educational concepts to take into account for a good development of the language. The thesis will be divided in two sections, a theoretical part and the research part. In the first part, there will be an analysis of language learning situations and the theories of motivation and psychological aspects in L2 learning. Being fortunate enough to speak a second language is a very valuable trait in today’s world; unlike its predecessors (French and Latin), English is the most spoken language in the world, either as a second or a first language. English is the lingua franca that helps everyone to communicate and it is one of the most studied foreign language in the world. In Italy, in particular, EFL is studied starting from elementary school and continues through middle school and high school. The second part of the thesis will focus on the research. The research focuses on the students of some school in the city of Pordenone (two elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools). The students filled out a questionnaire on motivation in class, but also participated to a debate on what could be improved during the English hours to create a better learning environment.