It is often said in the research literature on second language acquisition that two key factors behind success are aptitude and motivation . I have posted before about aptitude here. In this post, I'm lifting and adapting some sections sections about motivation from our handbook The Language Teacher Toolkit (Second Edition). I have not listed the references at the end of this post - they are part of the ample bibliography in the handbook. Motivation has been considered over the years from various perspectives, all of which cast light on the topic and can help language teachers provide the best conditions for learning. below are some of those perspectives. 1. Instrumental and integrative motivation Gardner and Lambert coined the terms instrumental motivation (language learning for more immediate or practical goals, such as mastering basic conversation for a professional role) and integrative motivation (language learning for personal growth, cultural enrichment and a desire to
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