Motivation, Persistence, and Cross-Cultural Awareness: A Study of College Students Learning Foreign Languages

ABSTRACTBased on the major theories of motivation and cross cultural awareness, this study investigated the motivation of foreign language college students and aspects that spur them to prolong learning the language beyond the program requirements. The significance of this study stems from the dearth of research literature in this area and the need for exploring constructs of college student motivation to persist in learning foreign language. The study utilizes the aforementioned theories to determine why college students persist in learning a foreign language; how students perceive their abilities of learning as related to their close relationships with peers, instructors, and family members; and how learning foreign language influence learners ' cultural awareness of other countries especially those where the foreign language is spoken.Qualitative data collection tools were used to examine aspects influencing the motivation of college foreign language learners. These tools included classroom observations and open ended interviews with students. Triangulation ensured the trustworthiness of the data. Member checking and participant feedback were also employed to validate findings.Analysis of the data resulted in revealing several aspects influencing the motivation of college foreign language learners. These included engagement elements in the foreign language classrooms as a trigger of initial motivation, family and peer support, the role of the instructor as a major motivator, instructional immediacy, and early exposure to the foreign language. Participants shared their desire to know more about the culture of the language they studied and expressed dissatisfaction about the insufficiency of cultural aspects in the textbooks.INTRODUCTIONAlthough the cognitive, academic, personal, and societal benefits of foreign language learning are undeniable, a limited number of American college students study foreign language in any depth. Students in the United States stop foreign language studies before achieving considerable communicative proficiency (Hayward, 2000; Lambert, 1999; Panetta, 1999). With the new tendency for globalization and no-border economy, it is essential for American students not only to be knowledgeable of other cultures but to be able to communicate with people from these cultures as well. The social importance of language teaching stems from its aptitude to introduce people to cultures other than their own (Byram, 1990). This process should result in the students understanding the foreign culture and acquiring positive attitudes and acceptance to the speakers of the foreign language and their cultures.With the new tendency to globalization, the urge for American students to learn foreign languages increased. The scarcity of research studies exploring the constructs surrounding college students' foreign language learning warrants the current study. Moreover, revealing these constructs may inform the expansion of foreign language programs which does not only assert the leadership role of the United States but also sustain its security. The purpose of this study is to examine the motivation of college students enrolled in foreign language classes at a Midwestern university. The study also investigates why some of students decide to continue studying a foreign language beyond the academic requirement. Moreover, it examines the influence of foreign language learning on students' cross-cultural awareness. To achieve the aforementioned purposes, the study endeavored to find answers to the following research questions:1. What constructs influence college students' persistence in foreign language classes beyond the usual requirement? 2. How does completing a foreign language program influence students' cross-cultural awareness? LITERATURE REVIEWIt is argued that students in the United States stop foreign language studies before achieving considerable communicative proficiency (Hayward, 2000; Lambert, 1999; Panetta, 1999). …