Speaker
Description
Research in second language acquisition highlights identity’s role in learner motivation. Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System and Norton’s sociocultural perspectives emphasize how imagined identities shape engagement. In Japan, Yashima links motivation to an international orientation rather than cultural integration. This presentation examines how Japanese identity may influence English learning motivation and explores classroom strategies that encourage learners to imagine themselves as internationally engaged Japanese users of English, fostering identity-based motivation and expanding communicative horizons.
Abstract section 5: References
Anderson, B. (2006). Imagined communities: Reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism (Rev. ed.). Verso.
Apple, M. T., Da Silva, D., & Fellner, T. (Eds.). (2013). Language learning motivation in Japan. Multilingual Matters.
Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2009). Motivation, language identity and the L2 self. Multilingual Matters.
Norton, B. (2001). Non-participation, imagined communities and the language classroom. In M. Breen (Ed.), Learner contributions to language learning: New directions in research (pp. 159–171). Pearson Education.
Norton, B. (2013). Identity and language learning: Extending the conversation (2nd ed.). Multilingual Matters.
Ushioda, E. (2013). Motivation and ELT: Looking ahead to the future. In E. Ushioda (Ed.), International perspectives on motivation: Language learning and professional challenges (pp. 233–239). Palgrave Macmillan.
Yashima, T. (2002). Willingness to communicate in a second language: The Japanese EFL context. The Modern Language Journal, 86(1), 54–66.
Yashima, T. (2009). International posture and the ideal L2 self in the Japanese EFL context. In Z. Dörnyei & E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, language identity and the L2 self (pp. 144–163). Multilingual Matters.
Abstract section 3: Content/method
The presentation begins with a brief review of key research on learner identity, L2 motivation, and international posture in the Japanese context. It then examines how narratives of Japanese cultural identity may influence students’ attitudes toward English learning. Finally, the session introduces classroom-based activities and reflective discussion tasks designed to help learners connect English learning with future international identities.
Abstract section 4: Outcomes/results
Participants will explore how identity-related factors may shape English learning motivation among Japanese students. The presentation includes practical classroom activities that encourage learners to imagine themselves as globally engaged Japanese users of English. Examples include reflective identity discussions, future-self visualization tasks, and intercultural communication scenarios. Through these examples and guided discussion, participants will learn strategies for integrating identity-based motivation into English language teaching. The session aims to help teachers expand students’ perceived communicative boundaries and foster stronger engagement with English as a tool for international communication while maintaining a sense of Japanese cultural identity.
Abstract section 2: Contribution/research questions
The purpose of this presentation is to explore how Japanese national and cultural identity may influence students’ motivation to learn English and to consider the implications for classroom practice. Drawing on research in learner identity and L2 motivation, the presentation examines how students negotiate the relationship between being Japanese and using English and proposes pedagogical approaches that encourage learners to imagine themselves as internationally engaged users of English.
Abstract section 1: Relevance
Research in second language acquisition increasingly emphasizes the role of identity in shaping learner motivation. The L2 Motivational Self System developed by Zoltán Dörnyei highlights how learners’ imagined future identities influence engagement with language learning, while sociocultural perspectives, particularly the work of Bonny Norton, emphasize the relationship between language learning, identity, and social participation. In Japan, studies by Tomoko Yashima suggest that English learning motivation is often connected to broader international orientation rather than integration into English-speaking cultures. Understanding how Japanese national identity intersects with these motivational processes may provide valuable insights for English language teaching practice.
| Title | Japanese Identity and English Motivation in the Classroom |
|---|---|
| Teaching Context | General |