For language learners who aspire to become multilingual, commitment involves a personal journey. Defining persistence as a preoccupation with goal-focused action directed to a desired future state and drawing on research from cognitive psychology and the mental time travel paradigm, this article presents an identity-based framework of persistence…

Self-determination theory is one of the most established motivational theories both within second language learning and beyond. This theory has generated several mini-theories, namely: organismic integration theory, cognitive evaluation theory, basic psychological needs theory, goal contents theory, causality orientations theory, and relationships…

This study examined the role of positive and negative feedback on goal commitment and energy investment among English as a foreign language learners who experienced directed motivational currents (DMCs). To this purpose, a systematic methodology was used to identify language learners with a DMC experience (six students, four females, two males,…

Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) are highly intense goal-directed motivational experiences that are characterised by establishing new routines and having positive emotions. The present study aimed to identify the factors that triggered the launch of DMCs among EFL learners. An interview protocol designed based on the core dimensions of the…

While extensive research has been conducted on L2 motivation in the Hungarian context, more studies need to be focused on international students beginning to learn Hungarian while studying in Hungary. This article offers an explanatory investigation into the motivational dispositions influencing the learning of Hungarian as a second language (L2)…

There has been a new fad rising in English learning among older Chinese people. By making their motivations clear, we can figure out ways to assist and facilitate their learning. The purpose of this study is to explore the motivations and objectives based on the Self-Determined Theory. To obtain comprehensive data for the study,…

In two studies, we examined two functional dimensions of L2 learners' self-regulation toward their motivational goals: assessment and locomotion. The assessment constitutes the aspect of self-regulation concerned with critically evaluating the relative quality of L2 states and goals and the means to achieve them. The locomotion mode constitutes…

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Motivational scale of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire in a sample of 656 Chinese secondary students in an English learning context. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis results suggested that a five-factor motivational structure fit the data better…

Directed motivational currents (DMCs) are goal-directed motivational surges in pursuit of a much-desired personal outcome. This book introduces the reader to cutting-edge theory and research in second language learner motivation and presents empirical research which investigates DMCs in the context of language learning. The studies explore the…

Motivation to learn languages other than English (LOTEs) has been underrepresented in second language (L2) motivation research. This study investigated and compared the motivational profiles of first-year and second-year students majoring in Spanish, grounded on the proposition of bifurcating ideal and ought selves into "Own" and…

This study examined students' experiences of peer feedback practices as related to awareness raising of learning goals, self-monitoring, self-efficacy, anxiety, and enjoyment in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) and mathematics. Data consisted of student surveys from two data sets related to teaching in lower secondary school (n =…

In recent years, several studies have reported the potential of employing digital games in EFL (English as Foreign Language) courses to promote students' learning motivation. However, scholars have pointed out that students generally lack self-learning ability, which is the key to the success of learning a foreign language. Therefore, it is…

The present study examines how learners' language mindsets (beliefs about the malleability of language intelligence) and achievement goals predict learners' preferences for different types of corrective feedback (CF). Questionnaire data were collected from 537 learners of Spanish as a foreign language at two North-American universities. Factor…

This study examines the predictive effects of motivational beliefs and self-efficacy on multiple dimensions of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing. Undergraduate students (n = 389) were recruited voluntarily from four universities in mainland China. They were invited to complete a set of…

Directed motivational currents, unique and intense goal-directed motivational surges lasting over a period of time, have received increasing attention recently. This article reports the first systematic review of this phenomenon. A total of 21 reports appearing between 2013 and 2020 were included in the analysis. The results show that the majority…