Dr. Ye Xuejun, a faculty member at the College of Foreign Languages & Cultures of Chengdu University of Technology (CDUT), has published new findings in the prestigious linguistics journal System, which examine the impact of motivational interventions on the English learning drive of Chinese middle school students. The research, titled The Effects of Three Motivational Interventions on EFL Learners’ L2MSS: A Longitudinal Perspective, investigates how different motivational strategies shape the second language motivation self-system (L2MSS) of young learners.

Dr. Ye Xuejun is the first author of the paper, with Professor Hu Guangwei serving as the corresponding author. System (a top-tier journal in the field of applied linguistics, recognized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences) currently has an impact factor of 4.9.

Figure 1: First Page of the Paper

The paper reports on an empirical investigation into the effects of three motivational interventions on Chinese junior secondary EFL students’ L2 motivational self system (L2MSS: ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience).

The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-, post-, and delayed questionnaire surveys involving four groups: a control group and three groups that received different motivational strategies (MSs), including traditional MSs, vision-based MSs, and a combination of both types of MS.

Within-group comparisons indicated that all three motivational treatments significantly improved the participants’ L2MSS immediately after the intervention.

Between-groups comparisons revealed that the ideal L2 self was most influenced by vision-based MSs, while the combined MS treatment outperformed the other two treatments in the effects on the ought-to L2 self and the L2 learning experience.

This study provides valuable insights for English teachers and researchers on how to cultivate, enhance, and maintain the English learning motivation of middle school students in China’s compulsory education phase.

Figure 2: Comparison of “Ideal L2 Self,” “Ought-to L2 Self,” and “L2 Learning Experience” Within and Between Groups

Paper link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103584