This MA thesis investigates the correlation between language aptitude and learning motivation of the fifth grade students that were learning English as a foreign language. In the theoretical part of the paper, first, the concept is defined, second, factors that affect foreign language learning are discussed and third, different ways of measuring language aptitude are presented. Characteristics of student’s learning motivation are described in a special section, where the focus is on learning motivation for learning foreign languages and on the effect of encouragement from teachers and parents. The author of the MA thesis also presents the findings of the existing studies in language aptitude and learning motivation.
In the empirical part of the thesis, the findings regarding the correlation between language aptitude of students and their learning motivation are discussed. The study included 309 Year 5 students from different primary schools in Slovenia. Students were asked to complete the SloMLAT-E test (Modern Language Aptitude Test – Elementary), fill out the Motivation Scale for learning a foreign language (UMTJ), and write their expected final grade for learning English based on their current grades. The results of the correlation analysis showed a statistically significant relation between language aptitude and learning motivation of young learners. The relation between both variables is moderate and positive, which leads to the conclusion that students with higher SloMATE-E test results are more motivated to learn English. As we expected, this relation is not very strong, because both variables belong to individual differences among students that affect learning process and language achievement. Correlation studies showed that there are relevant, positive, but weak to moderate relations between individual elements of learning motivation (interest for learning English, learning self-image, perception of English class, perception of parents’ opinion, expected grade) and language aptitude. We found no statistically relevant correlation between the degree of students’ language aptitude and their perception of their English teacher characteristics.
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