Arabic language teachers’ perceptions of learners’ motivation in South Korean universities

Abstract

It is crucial for second language (L2) teachers to understand L2 learners’ motivation in order to meet learners’ learning needs and improve their performance. This study investigated Arabic language teachers’ perceptions of their students’ L2 learning motivation change patterns and sociocultural factors that affect motivation by conducting interviews with seven teachers. Also, five graduates and six students in Arabic language departments were recruited as interview participants for the purpose of data triangulation. The analysis showed that Arabic teachers recognize job expectations, parents or teachers’ advice, cultural interest, and desire to go to college as major motivating factors for their students to learn Arabic. All the teachers believed that the motives for Arabic learning went through some remarkable changes after the September 11, 2001 attacks, contributing to increasing the employment expectations of learners. In particular, this study identified media, Confucian culture, and academic elitism as sociocultural factors influencing motivation to learn the Arabic language, which is categorized as a Less Commonly Taught Language in South Korea. © Centre for Language Studies National University of Singapore.