Motivational Factors and Persistence in Foreign Language Study

The predictive ability of motivational and attitudinal factors in continuation of foreign language study beyond the second level among high-school students was investigated among students in two different geographical areas in the U.S. Three classes of French and three classes of Spanish Level 2 high-school students participated in the study. The data were collected through a survey questionnaire. Discriminant function analyses were used to address the research questions. The results of the study indicate that motivational and attitudinal factors in addition to grade level and course grade successfully discriminate between continuing and discontinuing students. Interest in culture and in learning the language thoroughly—including reading, writing, and speaking it—distinguished continuing students from discontinuing students. On the other hand, interest in fulfilling a college entrance requirement primarily characterized the discontinuing students. Grade level when taking the second level of a foreign language and grade in the foreign language course were also found to be discriminating variables. Based upon these findings, profiles of continuing and discontinuing students were constructed and recommendations are made for interventions that may promote the type of intrinsic interest in language learning indicated by continuing students.