Primary EFL in Japan

要旨

The motivation of Japanese primary pupils to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) was examined in a pilot study of Japanese sixth form students (aged 11-12 years). The main aim is to verify the hypothesis that Japanese primary pupils learn EFL under a clear understanding of second language (L2) instrumentality, and examine whether the latest conceptual framework of L2 instrumentality can be applied to their EFL learning. The pupils completed a questionnaire that included 39 question items about different L2 motivational variables: integrativeness, and prevention- and promotion- driven instrumentality. The results were obtained based on factor analyses to examine how related L2 motivational variables are identified. Findings indicate that a clear distinction is drawn between integrativeness and instrumentality in learning EFL and that an explicit notion of L2 instrumentality is held among Japanese primary EFL pupils, based on the conceptual frameworks of L2 motivation. In particular, their L2 instrumentality substantiates that prevention-driven and promotion-driven instrumentality are distinct constructs within the conceptual framework of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) : significantly, these two internal constructs were identified as distinctive types by the participating pupils.

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