The relationship between students’ motivation and their out of class learning strategies a survey at a high school in vietnam

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES ---*****--- ĐỖ THỊ THỦY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS’ MOTIV

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

-***** -

ĐỖ THỊ THỦY

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION AND THEIR OUT-OF-CLASS LEARNING STRATEGIES:

A SURVEY AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN VIETNAM

Quan hệ giữa động lực và các chiến lược học tập ngoài giờ học của học sinh: Nghiên cứu khảo sát tại một trường trung học phổ thông ở

Việt Nam

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology

Code: 60140111

HANOI - 2017

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

-***** -

ĐỖ THỊ THỦY

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION

AND THEIR OUT-OF-CLASS LEARNING STRATEGIES:

A SURVEY AT A HIGH SCHOOL IN VIETNAM

Quan hệ giữa động lực và các chiến lược học tập ngoài giờ học

của học sinh: Nghiên cứu khảo sát tại một trường trung học phổ thông ở

Việt Nam

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology

Code: 60140111

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr Lê Văn Canh

HANOI - 2017

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the lecturers of the Faculty of Post-graduate Studies, University of Foreign Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their invaluable instructions and assistance Their step-by-step guidance helps me get closer to scientific researches and equips me with necessary knowledge to be able to carry out research on foreign/ second language (L2) on my own Especially, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Le Van Canh, whose erudite understanding of various fields related to L2 teaching and learning has enlightened me He himself is not only a great and devoted lecturer but also a famous researcher I could not have finished my thesis without his supervision

My special thanks also go to my family member, my friends and colleagues who always stand by me to support me and encourage me to complete the course Besides, I would like to thank my beloved students in Yen Dinh 3 high school for their contribution to my paper

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to other people working at ULIS for their help

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ABSTRACT

This study focuses on identifying students‟ motivation and their class learning strategies and investigating whether there is any relationship between them A total of 90 ten-grade students were asked to complete the survey questionnaires within 30 minutes They had to complete 15 sentences

out-of-on motivatiout-of-on drawn from Attitude/Motivatiout-of-on Test Battery by R.Gardner with 6 point Likert scale and 10 sentences on out-of-class learning strategies extracted from the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning by R.Oxford with 5 point Likert scale The results show that instrumental motivation ranks first and metacognitive strategies are the most frequently used The majority

of the students learned English because they had to take English exams When they were not in class, they often listened to English songs or played games in English to acquire this language Besides, most of motivation types have positive and significant correlations with six categories of learning strategies except for compensation strategies Intrinsic motivation has the highest coefficients Also, the more demotivated the students were, the less strategic they were Base on the findings, it is suggested that students should be encouraged to acquire knowledge both inside and outside classroom context

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii

LIST OF TABLES viii

LIST OF FIGURES ix

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale for the study 1

2 Research aims and objectives 1

3 Research questions: 2

4 Scope of the research 2

5 Significance of the research 2

6 Organization of the thesis 2

PART B - DEVELOPMENT 4

CHAPTER I REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 4

1.1 Motivation 4

1.1.1 Definition of motivation 4

1.1.2 Prominent motivation theories 4

1.1.1.5 Dörnyei’s motivational self system 10

1.2.Learning strategy 10

1.2.1.Conceptualizations of learning strategy 10

1.2.2 Oxford’s language learning strategy inventory 11

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1.3 Out-of-class learning strategies 13

1.1.4 The role of out-of-class learning in foreign language teaching 15 1.1.5 Previous studies on the relationship between motivation and out- of -class learning strategies 16

CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY 18

2.1 The research setting 18

2.2 Research design 18

2.2.1 Research methodology 18

2.2.2 Participants 18

2.2.3 Instruments 18

2.3 Data Collection Procedure 20

CHAPTER III: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 22

3.1 Reasons for learning English 22

3.2 The students’ main types of language learning strategies and activities 22

3.2.1 Language learning strategies 22

Table 2: Summary of descriptic statistic for language learning strategy use 23

3.2.2 Out – of – class learning activities 24

3.3 Students’ motivation types 25

3.4 The relationship between students’motivation and their out-of-class learning strategies 27

PART C- CONCLUSION 31

1 Major findings of the study 31

2 Conclusions 32

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3 Implications 33

4 Limitations of the study 34

5 Suggestions for further study 35

REFERENCES 36 APPENDIX I

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

AMTB: Attitude/ Motivation Test Battery

EFL: English as Foreign Language

ELT: English Language Teaching

ESL: English as Second Language

GLL: Good Language Learner

L2: Second or Foreign Language

SILL: Strategy Inventory for Language learning

SPSS: The Statistical Package for Social Science

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Reasons for learning English 19

Table 2: Summary of descriptic statistic for language learning strategy use 20 Table 3: Out-of-class activities 21 Table 4: Motivation types 22

Table 5: Correlations between motivation types and out-of-class learning

strategies 25

Table 6: Correlations between motivation and out-of-class learning

strategies 27

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: A simple representation of the socioeducational model - Adopted

from Gardner (2001) 4

Figure 2: Orientation subtypes along the self-determination continuum

–Adopted from Ryan & Deci (2000) 5 Figure 3: Students‟ attitude towards the interest of learning English 24

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PART A: INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale for the study

Out-of-class study time is essential in students‟ language learning, but few studies in ELT investigate students‟ out-of-class study: the time they spend on out-of-class learning and the strategies they use for this type of learning Most of the studies on EFL students‟ learning strategies focus on in-class learning strategies, leaving this important area of learning under-explored Teachers tend to pay more attention to the strategies students use inside than those outside classroom while “Out-of-class activities are also linked with real life applications; this connection is key to fostering more authentic language usage and autonomy” (Pearson, 2004) However,the relationship between motivation and learning strategies in Yen Dinh 3 high school where I work has not been studied, which prevents the application of proper methods of teaching and learning Therefore, I have carried out this research with the desire to find suitable teaching methods and know how to motivate the students to learn better, especially outside classroom

2 Research aims and objectives

- Aims:

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between students‟

motivation for language learning and their choice of learning strategies, especially the choice of out-of-class learning strategies

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- To gain understanding about the influence of motivation on out-of-class

learning strategies choice

3 Research questions:

The study focuses on the following research questions:

1) What is the students‟ language learning motivation?

2) How do they learn English outside class?

3) What is the relationship between students‟ motivation and their out - of class - learning strategies?

4 Scope of the research

This study focuses on measuring the students‟ motivation including intrinsic, extrinsic, integrative, and instrumental as well as amotivation; their choice of out-of-class learning strategies and the relationship between the two factors

5 Significance of the research

The research result can help teachers determine the types of motivation amongst students and help students know about the importance of motivation

as well as learning strategies in acquiring a foreign language Moreover, the research aims at assisting teachers to find suitable teaching methods so as to motivate their students to learn English better

6 Organization of the thesis

The thesis is organized as follows:

Part A - Introduction: Provides the rationale of the study, aims, objectives, research questions, scope and significance of the study

Part B - Development: Consists of three chapters

Chapter I – Literature review: Briefly introduces the theoretical backgrounds related to motivation, language learning strategies, out – of – class language learning as well as previous research on the relationship between motivation and out - of - class learning strategies

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Chapter II – Methodology: focuses on research setting, research design, research methods and introduces the participants, instruments and procedure

of data collection and process

Chapter III – Findings and discussion: presents the results of the study and some discussion

Part C – Conclusion: summarizes the main points of the study, compares the results with previous research in the field, points out the limitations and suggests further study

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PART B - DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 1.1 Motivation

1.1.1 Definition of motivation

Despite a lot of researches done with motivation, its exact definition has been a challenge even among great researchers Dörnyei (1998: 117)

commented, “Although motivation is a term used in both education and

research contexts, it is rather surprising how little agreement, one can find in the literature with regard to the exact meaning of the concept”

On examining research studies conducted in relation to motivation, it was found that the concept of motivation was defined in different ways Keller (1983) defined motivation as “the direction of effort making a student willing

to learn and as an intrinsic power” Relating motivation to learn a second language (L2), Gardner (1985) proposed, “Motivation is a term which is often used with respect to second language learning as a simple explanation of achievement” Schunk (1990) defined it as “inclining towards a process of behaviour oriented to a certain goal and sustaining it”; Brown (1994) gave the definition of motivation as “the extent to which you make choices about (a) a goal to pursue and (b) the effort you will devote to the pursuit.”

It is a well established belief among most researchers that motivation is crucial in students‟ learning However, the concept of motivation proves complex since it takes respectable number of different disciplines to arrive at

a reasonable understanding of its different facets

1.1.2 Prominent motivation theories

The four main theories to be reviewed here are Gardner‟s motivation theory, the Self-determination theory, Goal theories and Attribution theory In

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addition, there is a critical reference to one of the most common model on language learning motivation - Dörnyei‟s motivational self system

1.1.2.1 Gardner’s Motivation Theory

The most influential model of language learning motivation in the early

sixties through the eighties of the previous century was that developed by Robert Gardner, a Canadian social psychologist The model came to be known as the Socioeducational Model (Gardner, 1985) Gardner defined motivation as a „combination of effort plus desire to achieve the goal of learning the language plus favourable attitudes towards learning the language.‟ In his model, he introduced two components of motivation: attitudes towards the learning situation and integrativeness

The most developed and researched facet of Gardner‟s (1985) motivation

theory has been the integrative aspect The significant of this concept is

attested to by its appearing in Gardner‟s theory in three different forms -

integrative orientation, integrativeness, and the integrative motive (Dörnyei,

2003) In broad terms, an “integrative” orientation concerns a positive interpersonal/ affective disposition toward the language learning group and the desire to interact with and even become similar to valued member of that community It implies an openess to and respect for, other cultural groups and ways of life; in the extreme, it may involve complete identification with the community Thus, a core aspect of the integrative disposition is some sorts of

a psychological and emotional identification (Dörnyei, 2003) Gardner (2005)

stated that “individuals for whom their own ethno-linguistic heritage is a major part of their sense of identity would be low in integrativeness; those for whom their ethnicity is not a major component, and who are interested in other cultural communities would be high in integrativeness” The second facet involves attitudes toward the school, reactions to the textbooks,

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evaluation of the language teacher and the language course etc Clearly, the nature of the learning situation will influence a student‟s motivation

Figure 1- A simple representation of the socioeducational model

Adopted from Gardner (2001) The dotted square represents the borders of the integrative motivation

1.1.2.2 The Self – determination theory

Deci and Ryan‟s (1985) self-determination theory is one of the most influential theories in motivational psychology (Dörnyei, 2003) According to the theory, developed by Deci and his associate, „to be self determining means

to experience a sense of choice in initiating and regulating one's own actions‟(Deci & Ryan,1985:580) Self-determination is the ability to make choices and exercise a high degree of control, such as what the student does and how they do it (Deci et al., 1991) Self-determination can be supported by providing opportunities for students to be challenged, such as leadership opportunities, providing appropriate feedback and fostering, establishing and maintaining good relationships between teachers and students These strategies can increase students' interest, competence, creativity and desire to

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be challenged and ensure that students are intrinsically motivated to study On the other hand, students who lack self-determination are more likely to feel their success is out of their control Such students lose motivation to study, which causes a state of "helpless learning" Students who feel helpless readily believe they will fail and therefore cease to try Over time, a vicious circle of low achievement develops

The theory distinguishes between two kinds of motivations: intrinsic and extrinsic The first refers to an individual‟s motivation to perform a particular activity because of internal rewards such as joy, pleasure and satisfaction of curiosity Whereas in extrinsic motivation the individual expects an extrinsic reward such as good grades or praise from others In line with the notion of autonomy and intrinsic motivation, the self determination theory offers a very interesting look at motivation by setting a different agenda for language teachers Rather than focusing on how people (e.g teachers in the classroom) can motivate others, the focus should be on „how people can create the conditions within which others can motivate themselves‟ (Deici &Ryan,1985)

Figure 2: Orientation subtypes along the Self determination continuum

-Adapted from Ryan & Deci (2000:27)

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1.1.1.3 Attribution theory

The Attribution theory of students‟ motivation was largely influential in the 1980s (Dörnyei, 2003) Attribution theory is a theory developed by

explain the causes of their behavior and events A form of attribution theory developed by psychologist, Bernard Weiner (1972), describes an individual's beliefs about how the causes of success or failure affect their emotions and motivations According to him, the most important factors affecting attribution are ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck Attributions are classified along three causal dimensions: (1) locus of control (two poles: internal vs external), (2) stability (do causes change over time or not?), and (3) controllability causes one can control such as skills vs causes one cannot control such as luck, others‟ action, etc.)

When one succeeds, one attributes successes internally („my own skill‟) When a rival succeeds, one tends to credit external (e.g luck) When one fails

or makes mistakes, external attribution is often used, attributing causes to situational factors rather than blaming ourselves When others fails or makes mistakes, we will more likely to use internal attribution, saying it is due to their internal personality factors

As the main proponent of the theory, Bernard Weiner argued the subjective reasons to which we attribute our past successes and failures considerably shape our motivational disposition In a school context, learners tend to ascribe their failures or success (locus or causality) to a number of reasons: ability and effort, luck, task, difficulty, mood, family, background, and help or hindrance from others The previous can be placed on a continuum of internal

vs external reasons depending on whether the individuals see themselves or others as the causes of their actions Because of the generally high frequency

1.1.1.4 Goal theories

Goal-setting theory is based on the notion that individuals sometimes have

a drive to reach a clearly defined end state Often, this end state is a reward in itself

There are two Goal theories that have been particularly influential in the study of motivation: the Goal Setting theory and the Goal Orientation theory The Goal Setting theory was mainly developed by Locke and Latham (1990) within industrial and organizational psychology with frequent references to workplace setting The theory suggests that goals have two aspects: internal and external The Goal Setting theory suggests that there are three main characteristics of goals that cause them to differ: difficulty, specificity and commitment In Tremblay and Gardner‟s (1995) proposed motivation construct, they introduced the concept of “goal salience‟ as a central component, conceptualized as a composite of the specificity of the learner‟s goals and the frequency of Goal- setting strategies used (Dörnyei, 2003)

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1.1.1.5 Dörnyei’s motivational self system

Dörnyei (2005) designed the motivational self-system of L2 learning The L2 motivational self-system forms links with conceptualizations of L2 motivation by Noels (2003) and Ushioda (2001) This motivational self-system has three components: the ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience The ideal L2 self is a person‟s imagined ideal future self

as a second language speaker This ideal L2 self promotes motivation by inspiring the present self to strive to become the ideal self, which promotes integrative and internalized instrumental motivation in language learning The ought-to L2 self includes the attributions a person believes they should have

in order to meet expectations or avoid negative outcomes, which is associated with extrinsic motivational orientations The L2 learning experience component includes the situational and environmental aspects of the language learning process as well as one‟s subjective learning experience

One specific area in which motivational factors can be seen at work is in the use of different learning strategies Studies by Oxford and Nyikos (1989) showed that the “degree of motivation is the most powerful influence on how and when students use language learning strategies” To investigate the relationship between these factors further, it is important to first distinguish specifically what learning strategies are

1.2.Learning strategy

1.2.1.Conceptualizations of learning strategy

The word “strategy” comes from the ancient Greek word strategia, which

means steps or actions taken for the purpose of winning a war.The warlike meaning of strategia has fortunately fallen away, but the control and goal directedness remain in the modern version of the word (Oxford, 1990)

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In defining the language learning strategy, Oxford & Crookall (1989) stated that “different researchers use different terms and different concepts” According to Wenden & Rubin (1987), language learning strategies can be defined from the aspect of language learning behaviours, such as learning and regulating the meaning of a second or foreign language, cognitive theory, such as learners‟ strategic knowledge of language learning, and the affective view, such as learners‟ motivation, attitude, etc It is argued that three points

of views can improve language learning O‟Malley, Chamot and their colleagues (O‟Malley et al., 1985, Chamot & O‟Malley, 1990) were devoted

to studying the use of learning strategies by ESL learners in the US Based on their research, language learning strategies were divided into three main categories, metacognitive, cognitive, and social affective which refer to learners‟ planning their learning, thinking about the learning process, monitoring their own comprehension or production, and evaluating the outcomes of their own learning Next, Rubin (1987), defined language learning strategy as those “that contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and (which) affects learning directly” Moreover, the definition by Oxford (1990) also included cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of language learning strategies that enhance learners‟ language learning proficiency and self-confidence

1.2.2 Oxford’s language learning strategy inventory

Oxford (1990) classified learning strategies inventory as operations employed by the learner to aid in the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information Learners can adopt more specific strategies to make their learning more direct and effective Oxford categorized these learning actions

as direct or indirect strategies Direct strategies help learners store and recover information; they assist learners in producing the language to fill in the gap of

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unknown knowledge Direct strategies include memory, cognitive, and compensation strategies Meanwhile, indirect learning strategies echo direct strategies, but manage language learning without direct involvement Indirect strategies are metacognitive, affective, and social strategies The functions of each strategy defined by Oxford (1990) are as follows:

Direct strategies

- Memory strategies help learner link one second/ foreign language learning item or concept with another but do not necessarily involve deep understanding

- Cognitive strategies enable the learner to manipulate the language material

in direct way, e.g., through reasoning, analysis, note-taking, summarizing, synthesizing, outlining, reorganizing information to develop stronger schemas (knowledge structures), practising in naturalistic settings, and practicing structures and sounds formally

- Compensation strategies (e.g., guessing from the context in listening and reading, using synonyms and “talking around” the missing word to aid speaking and writing; and strictly for speaking, using gestures or pause words) helps the learner make up for missing knowledge

Indirect strategies

- Metacognitive strategies (e.g identifying one‟s own learning style preferences and needs, planning for an L2 task, gathering and organizing materials, arranging a study space and a schedule, monitoring mistakes, and evaluating task success of any type of learning) are employed for managing the learning process overall

- Affective strategies: include identifying one‟s own mood and anxiety level, talking about feelings, rewarding oneself for good performance, and using deep breathing or positive self- talk

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- Social strategies (e.g., asking questions to get verification, asking for clarification of a confusing point, asking for help in doing a language task, talking with a native speaking conversation partner, and exploring cultural and social norm) help the learner work with others and understand the target culture as well as the language

Rebecca Oxford‟s Strategy Inventory for Language learning (SILL) is the most influential instrument in the area of language learning strategies and lays

out the most exhaustive hierarchy of learning strategies to date

1.3 Out-of-class learning strategies

Much interest has been expressed in out - of - class language learning strategies Pickard (1996) reported that some studies formulate useful typologies of strategy use (Naiman, 1978; Oxford, 1990; Rubin, 1975); all highlighted the importance of the out-of-class strategies employed voluntarily

by learners outside the language classroom Pickard (1996, p 150) also reported that: “These language learning strategies encompass student-initiated activities, such as listening to the radio and reading newspapers.”

Rubin (1975) identified seven general characteristics of the good language learner, which include such out-of-class strategies as seeking out opportunities to use the language by looking for native speakers, and going to

the cinema or to other cultural events

Out-of-class learning, as it relates to language learning, has recently been broadly defined as any kind of learning that takes place outside the classroom and involves self-instruction, naturalistic learning or self-directed naturalistic learning (Benson 2001: 62)

Benson (2001:62) divides out-of-class learning into three categories:

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-Self instruction, where learners deliberately plan to improve the target language and search out resources to help them do this, for example by using self study grammar books to improve their grammar

- Naturalistic language learning, where they learn mainly unintentionally through communication and interaction with the target language group, for example when engaged in discussions with English speaking classmates or colleagues

- Self-directed naturalistic language learning, where learners create or seek out a language learning situation, but may not focus directly on learning the language while they are in that situation For example, learners may subscribe

to an English newspaper everyday with the underlying aim of improving their vocabulary, but may read it mainly for the news without undertaking any specific learning activities

Benson (2001) referred to the dearth of research on out-of-class language learning, and its importance to the theory and practice of autonomy

Macaro (2001) proposed some activities which students would use into the habits of looking for the foreign language outside the classroom:

- Speaking outside the classroom: Not only can learners maximize exposure

to the foreign language outside the classroom by reading or listening to language, they can also try to speak the foreign language outside the classroom

- Social strategies: There is a list of activities that students can do with their friends in order to develop this idea that language learning can take place outside the classroom and can involve social activities: writing a letter to their friends with 10 deliberate mistakes, asking them to underline the mistakes, recording a dialogue together, practicing a scene together, trying to work out a foreign language text together

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-Taking notes: Teachers should allow students to take notes whenever they want It helps to remember and notice something interesting and different about their current knowledge and the input they are receiving

-Materials: We have also considered a dossier of materials which we can use

in order to train learners to use strategies These materials are designed to

«scaffold» the strategy in question

1.1.4 The role of out-of-class learning in foreign language teaching

The significance of out-of-class learning was evident in a seminal study on Good Language Learners (GLLs) by Rubin in 1975 One of the characteristics

of GLLs is their interest in looking for opportunities to use the language, for instance speaking to native speakers and going to the cinema This notion is strengthened by Stern (1992) who highlighted that a GLL possesses social learning strategy The strategy includes making communicative contact with target language and target language community Nunan‟s studies of successful language learners from variety of contexts and language learning backgrounds demonstrate, „the determination to apply their developing language skills outside the classroom‟ can play a crucial role for learners in terms of their second language development (Nunan, 1991)

Ellis (1994) concluded that learners get the most benefit from formal language instruction when it is coupled with opportunities for natural exposure to the language

In reality, many teachers tend to increase assignments or tests to encourage out-of-class study without considering how students‟ second language learning motivation affects their out-of-class learning strategies (Fukuda

&Yoshida, 2013) This fact neccesiates the research on the topic

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1.1.5 Previous studies on the relationship between motivation and out of

-class learning strategies

Learners‟ motivation and their application of the learning strategies could have a correlated relationship Many researchers report that there is a relationship between motivation level and strategy use, and they affect each other (Oxford, 1990; Pintrich 1999; Oxford & Nyikos, 1989.) From 1990s, the interest in the effect of motivation on strategy use has risen Oxford (1990) investigated the relationship between learners‟ motivation and strategy use, and she found that learners who have higher motivation towards language learning tend to use more strategies than learners who have lower motivation Studies by Oxford and Nyikos showed that the “degree of motivation is the most powerful influence on how and when students use language learning strategies” (Scarcella & Oxford, 1992, p 53) Pintrich and Garcia (1995) posited that motivated students tend to use more learning strategies compared

to less motivated one Besides, they suggested that intrinsically motivated students employed more cognitive strategies such as elaboration and organization Pintrich (1999) focused on the relationship between learners‟ motivational belief and self-regulated strategies (cognitive, meta-cognitive, resource- management strategies) in his study, and he found that having different motivational beliefs makes a difference in the use of self-regulated strategies On the other hand, the effect of strategy use on learners‟ motivation has also come to light in other studies Oxford and Nyikos (1989) claim that

“not only does high motivation lead to significant use of language learning strategies, but high strategy use probably leads to high motivation as well” (1989, p.296)

Studies have also shown that motivation and metacognition influence class learner behaviour (Pickard 1995, Wenden 2001, Lamb 2002) Both

out-of-17

factors have been identified as important aspects of learner autonomy which affect the type of activities learners choose to complete and why, as well as what they learn from them

Schmidt (2001) suggested that learners‟ acquisition of a second/foreign language might not always indicate a positive correlation with their learning strategies Some successful learners might have already adopted certain effective strategies, whereas less successful learners might still in the process

of searching for effective strategies, leading them to continue trying to use a broader range of strategies Sato et al (2008) have concluded from their findings that teachers who provide variable learning strategies and use different materials motivate and interest many learners Pearson (2004), in particular, notes that intrinsically motivated students seem to exert more effort

in using the language outside However, according to him, we cannot make such easy generalization because the nature of out-of-class learning is idiosyncratic in the sense that learners spend their time and effort outside the class differently

Fukuda and Yoshida (2013) studied factors affecting Japanese EFL students‟ out-of-class learning and found that factors such as clear course aims, strong student-teacher relationships, on-threatening classroom environments, and interactive classroom procedures affected out-of-class study time However, the study did not provide any information about the strategies the students used for out-of-class learning

There might be a bidirectional relationship between these two variables; motivation and strategy use affect each other Apparently, the relationship between these two variables in L2 learning is different depending on the context where the research is carried out Therefore, additional research focusing on the bi-directional effects of motivation and strategy use is needed

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CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY 2.1 The research setting

The research is carried out at Yen Dinh 3 high school in Thanh Hoa

province This school is located in a rural area and the students learn English

as a compulsory subject at school The students spend about 135 minutes studying English at school The materials used for teaching and learning English are English textbooks (belonging to seven-year program series) published by Education publisher

It is supposed that the students do not have high motivation in learning English because they have little opportunity to use English in real contexts They might also use few learning strategies, especially those outside the classroom

2.2.3 Instruments