Motivation for LOTE learning: a cross-country comparison of university learners of French

Figures & data

Table 1. Length of study of French.

	England		Ireland		Sweden		Poland
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
< 1 year	0	0	0	0	29	28.7	37	29.6
1–5 years	25	20.3	17	9.6	33	32.7	65	52.0
> 5 years	97	78.9	159	89.3	34	33.7	22	17.6

Table 2. Self-reported proficiency in French.

England			Ireland			Sweden			Poland
α	M	SD	α	M	SD	α	M	SD	α	M	SD
.61	3.70	0.53	.67	3.58	0.55	.90	3.06	0.90	.91	2.81	1.02

Table 3. Results of factor analysis.

Item	Desire for proficiency	Ought-to L2 self	Weak integrative	Instrumental	Ideal L2 self	Strong integrative
2	0.89	−0.03	−0.12	0.03	−0.01	0.04
12	0.88	0.04	0.02	0.03	−0.07	0.00
1	0.82	−0.02	−0.06	−0.05	0.10	0.00
5	0.80	0.05	0.14	−0.08	0.07	−0.10
21	0.76	−0.03	0.05	−0.02	0.05	−0.03
19	0.04	0.94	0.06	−0.14	−0.10	−0.14
7	0.01	0.69	−0.03	0.08	0.00	−0.01
15	0.01	0.67	−0.07	0.07	0.09	−0.01
26	−0.05	0.66	−0.03	−0.03	−0.01	0.05
32	−0.15	0.00	0.81	0.04	0.22	−0.11
27	0.01	−0.09	0.66	−0.14	0.20	−0.06
14	0.25	−0.05	0.66	0.15	−0.35	0.11
10	0.03	0.10	0.50	0.09	0.01	0.17
4	−0.02	0.04	−0.04	0.83	0.01	−0.03
25	−0.08	−0.02	0.00	0.79	0.13	0.02
33	0.05	−0.04	0.06	0.62	0.05	−0.08
31	−0.07	−0.07	0.13	0.07	0.77	−0.04
9	0.17	0.05	−0.02	0.07	0.55	0.05
18	0.13	0.02	0.04	0.07	0.48	−0.01
6	0.12	0.05	−0.02	0.10	0.37	0.20
11	0.02	−0.17	−0.15	0.02	0.03	0.85
29	−0.07	0.07	0.13	−0.16	0.10	0.56
20	−0.04	0.16	0.10	0.03	−0.10	0.53

Table 4. Scale reliability (Cronbach’s alpha).

		L1-English countries			Non-L1-English countries
	All	Both	England	Ireland	Both	Sweden	Poland
Desire for proficiency	.92	.87	.73	.91	.94	.93	.94
Instrumental	.81	.66	.59	.70	.86	.86	.87
Ideal L2 self	.79	.75	.66	.78	.81	.76	.85
Weak integrative	.80	.75	.74	.76	.82	.82	.84
Strong integrative	.69	.60	.58	.62	.73	.71	.74
Ought-to L2self	.81	.79	.81	.76	.82	.79	.82

Figure 1. Mean plots for L1-English vs. non-L1-English countries.

Table 5. Results for L1-English vs. non-L1-English countries.

	Country	n	M	SD	t	df	p	d
Desire for proficiency	L1-English	301	4.81	0.44	3.07	525	.002*	0.27
	Non-L1-English	226	4.66	0.71
Instrumental	L1-English	301	4.49	0.54	5.85	525	.000*	0.52
	Non-L1-English	226	4.13	0.87
Ideal L2 self	L1-English	300	4.42	0.61	3.73	524	.000*	0.33
	Non-L1-English	226	4.19	0.82
Weak integrative	L1-English	301	4.33	0.59	4.58	525	.000*	0.40
	Non-L1-English	226	4.04	0.86
Strong integrative	L1-English	301	3.26	0.82	6.77	525	.000*	0.60
	Non-L1-English	226	2.73	1.00
Ought-to L2 self	L1-English	301	2.40	0.95	2.72	525	.007*	0.24
	Non-L1-English	226	2.16	1.04

* denotes significant differences after Bonferroni corrections applied (.05/6 tests = .008)

Figure 2. Mean plots for country comparisons.

Table 6. Results for UK vs. Ireland and Sweden vs. Poland.

	Country	n	M	SD	t	df	p	d
Desire for proficiency	England	123	4.82	0.35	0.23	299	.818	0.03
	Ireland	178	4.80	0.49
	Sweden	101	4.81	0.54	−3.02	217.93	.003*	−0.41
	Poland	125	4.53	0.80
Instrumental	England	123	4.53	0.50	1.21	299	.226	0.14
	Ireland	178	4.46	0.57
	Sweden	101	3.99	0.86	2.23	224	.026	0.30
	Poland	125	4.24	0.87
Ideal L2 self	England	123	4.50	0.50	1.80	296.94	.073	0.22
	Ireland	177	4.37	0.67
	Sweden	101	4.11	0.77	1.36	224	.177	0.18
	Poland	125	4.26	0.87
Weak integrative	England	123	4.37	0.54	0.97	299	.335	0.11
	Ireland	178	4.30	0.62
	Sweden	101	4.03	0.80	0.14	224	.891	0.02
	Poland	125	4.05	0.91
Strong integrative	England	123	3.29	0.79	0.46	299	.648	0.05
	Ireland	178	3.24	0.84
	Sweden	101	2.93	0.94	−2.87	224	.004*	−0.38
	Poland	125	2.56	1.02
Ought-to L2 self	England	123	2.59	1.00	2.99	299	.003*	0.35
	Ireland	178	2.26	0.88
	Sweden	101	1.89	0.88	3.65	223.98	.000*	0.49
	Poland	125	2.38	1.11

* denotes significant differences after Bonferroni corrections applied (.05/6 tests = .008)