The correlation between the L2 motivational self system and the students’ efforts to learn english : the study of first year LMD students at Bejaia university

Abstract

Many learners find difficulties in learning English. In fact, there are multiple reasons that obstruct their learning process. Students may not be aware of the significance of English itself; others may learn English just to get good exam marks. However, most of them are actually not motivated. Without motivation, they are less interested in learning English as a subject. The present study aims at investigating the correlation between the L2 motivational self system of first year LMD students of English as a foreign language (EFL) at the University of Bejaia and the efforts they make to learn English. In order to check this correlation and to verify the validity of our hypothesis, we have used two different data collection tools; a questionnaire and an interview. They are both conducted with students. The results show that EFL students have an ideal image that they would like to be, and that there is a significant relationship between the future person that those students would like to become and the efforts they make to learn the L2. In other words, the students’ ideal L2 self and the learning efforts are correlated and intertwined.