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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 6
Publication Date: June 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.86.10374. Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to
Communicate in the Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness
to Communicate in the Kuwaiti EFL Context
Abdullah A. Alenezi
Language Center, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait
Shaima J. Al-Saeed
Language Center, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait
Abdullah M. Alazemi
Language Center, Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait
ABSTRACT
The study explores the relationship between Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2
motivational self system (L2MSS) and the English as a foreign language (EFL)
learners’ instructional willingness to communicate (IWTC). It examines specifically
the impact of the three elements of the L2MSS, that is, the ideal self, ought-to self,
and learning experience, on the components of the IWTC. The study used a
quantitative method of data collection from a two-part questionnaire; both parts
were answered by the same participants. The questionnaire was adapted and
modified to fit the needs of the Arabic participants, who were 247 Kuwaiti college
students. A thorough confirmatory factor analysis was implemented to validate the
L2MSS and IWTC questions. The outcomes of the study revealed that each part of
the questionnaire was fit to test the data, and thus the tools were authenticated for
future research in an Arabic context. In addition to highlighting the significant
element of the motivational self, the study looked further into the construct of the
IWTC and pinpointed its most important components. The findings show that the
ideal self was significantly correlated with the learning responsibility component
of the IWTC. The ought-to self was found to be insignificant, and the learning
experience had no factor loading and thus was excluded.
Keywords: WTC, L2MSS, ideal self, ought-to self, classroom learning
INTRODUCTION
If one wishes to understand the willingness to communicate (WTC) of second language (L2)
learners in the classroom, one needs to know the factors that might contribute to such an
activity. One important factor is the motivation to communicate in the L2, and this has been
explained by various theories. Advancements in psychology have greatly influenced
motivational theories in educational studies and provided a basis for their development. An
example is the L2 motivational self system (L2MSS), which was developed by Dörnyei in 2005,
based on Higgins’s (1987,1996) self-discrepancy theory. The L2MSS theory assumes that a
“learner’s drive to reduce the perceived discrepancy between the current self and the hoped- for self provides the necessary motivation for language learning” (Kim, 2015, as cited in Peng,
2015). The benefit of utilizing a possible selves methodology was outlined by MacIntyre et al.
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(2009b), who stated that it “lies in the comparison of present and future states, highlighting the
discrepancy between them to understand the sources of language learning motivation” (p. 209).
Multiple identities, pluralism, and the notion of possible selves are at the core of the L2MSS.
The motivational self system is an area of interest and importance for new research on
classroom communication in an L2 learning environment. It is also useful for understanding
the role of motivational selves among L2 learners and how the selves impact the WTC in the
classroom setting.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In this section, we review the literature related to the topic of the thesis and examine some of
the research reported in it, focusing mainly on the L2MSS and the WTC in classrooms.
Studies of the L2 Motivational Self System
Before describing the L2MSS, it is important to shed light on the developments that led Dörnyei
(2005) to create this system. Gardner’s concept of integrative motivation had been the basis of
most of the research conducted in this area. However, Ryan (2009, p. 121) noted that “this
model has come under repeated challenge in recent years, a challenge initiated by an intense
theoretical debate that began in the 1990s.”
Gardner and Lambert’s (1972) notions about integrative motivation were under scrutiny for
many reasons; the main one was that the English language is a lingua franca and no longer
belongs to any specific culture. The model had become “incompatible with the dynamic, fluid
reality of the global English-speaking community of which many young people from all over the
world believe themselves to be an integral part... the concept of that community itself is an
altogether more vague, abstract entity” (Ryan, 2009, p. 124). A new model needed to evolve,
one that, as Pavlenko (2002) mentioned, would reflect “the complexity of the modern
globalized multilingual world” (cited in Ushioda & Dörnyei, 2009, p. 5).
In the past decade, many quantitative and qualitative studies have validated this system (e.g.,
Al-Shehri, 2009; Csizér & Kormos, 2009; MacIntyre et al., 2009a, 2009b; Roshandel et al., 2018;
Ryan, 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). In their research, Taguchi et al. (2009, p. 88) concluded that
Dörnyei’s model based on his research in Hungary “is not country-specific since we found a
similar pattern in three countries that differ greatly from Hungary and from each other”; this
confirmed the external validity of the Hungarian findings.
Ideal L2 Self
According to Dörnyei (2009), the ideal L2 self is the language-specific facet of the person we
would like to be, and “it reflects the learner’s aspirations, hopes and wishes of what he or she
would like to become when the necessary language competence in the L2 is acquired” (Kim,
2015, p. 31). In Dörnyei’s words, it “refers to the representation of the attributes that one would
ideally like to possess (i.e., representation of hopes, aspirations or wishes), while the ought self
refers to the representation of attributes that one believes one ought to possess (i.e.,
representation of someone else’s sense of duties, obligations or moral responsibilities) and
which therefore may bear little resemblance to one’s own desires or wishes” (Dörnyei, 2009, p.
13).
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Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to Communicate in the
Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
Kim’s studies (2013, 2015) showed that the “learner’s concept of the ideal L2 self can play a
critical role in the process of internalizing extrinsic motivation into personally meaningful
intrinsic motivation” and, conversely, that “students with an unclear image of an ideal L2 self
were more likely to be caught in a cyclical pattern of reduced self-confidence, self-blame and
poor performance because they are unable to control their affective states” (p. 49). Many other
studies supported this claim, as cited in (2015) (e.g., Csizér & Lukács, 2010; Kim & Kim, 2014;
Papi & Teimuri, 2014; Ryan 2009; Taguchi et al., 2009). It is also important to take into account
the evolving nature of the IS. Csizér and Kormos (2009) stated, “Results reveal that how
students see themselves as future language users might change with age, and therefore the
impact of future self-images on motivated learning might also vary” (p. 110). Another important
consideration is the fact that the creation of the IS in the learner’s mind depends largely on the
learner’s imagination and vision (Dörnyei, 2009).
Ought-to L2 Self
As defined by Dörnyei (2009), the OTS “concerns the attributes that one believes one ought to
possess to meet expectations and to avoid possible negative outcomes” (p. 29). In other words,
it involves “one’s obligations, responsibilities, and expectations, in order to avoid possible
negative outcomes, and is hence driven by preventional motivation in Higgins’ terms” (Kim,
2015, p. 31).
Studies found that the OTS can be a catalyst on its own, but it is not enough of a catalyst to
sustain the learner’s motivation (Kim, 2015). This is illustrated in a study by Csizér and Kormos
(2009), which showed that “The role of the ought-to L2 self seemed to be marginal, as its
contribution to shaping students’ learning behaviour was weak and reached the level of
significance only for the university student population” (p. 109).
Also, the influence of the OTS varies greatly depending on many factors, such as age,
background, cultural setting and educational setting, and hence its role is not as significant as
that of the IS; this view has been supported by the studies of Öz and Bursalı (2018) and Peng
(2015). Suffice it to say that the OTS can be a powerful motivator (Taguchi et al., 2009).
L2 Learning Experience
Besides the components of the possible selves of the L2MSS, which Dörnyei based on
motivational psychology, he added a component based on educational research, making it more
relevant to L2 acquisition. He stated that the L2 LExp component “concerns situated, ‘executive’
motives related to the immediate learning environment and experience (e.g., the impact of the
teacher, the curriculum, the peer group, the experience of success)” (Dörnyei, 2009, p.29).
Studies such as those by Csizér and Kormos (2009) and Peng (2015) showed that the effect of
an L2 LExp on the ideal self can be stronger than that on the OTS. In fact, Csizér and Kormos
(2009, p. 109) showed that the effect of an L2 LExp “was found to be stronger than that of the
ideal L2 self in the case of secondary school students, while for university students the ideal L2
self and language learning experiences played an equally important role.” Studies also showed
that the L2 LExp can greatly affect motivation and plays an important role in this system (Kim,
2015).
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Studies of the Willingness to Communicate
The WTC model was designed by MacIntyre et al. (1998) as a method for reaching a
communicative objective. This model has stimulated research in various learning contexts with
different L1 groups (Cao & Philp, 2006; Clément et al., 2003; Kang, 2005; Yashima, 2002) with
the aim of identifying factors that influence the WTC in an L2 (Yashima, 2009).
It can be said that the L2MSS has a direct impact on students’ WTC, especially because
communicative competence is an integral part of most language learners’ ideal selves and
ought-to selves. Therefore, a discrepancy between their possible selves and their L2 LExp can
be a powerful demotivator, as shown in a study by Kim (2015). A study by Yashima (2009)
showed a direct link between the WTC and the ideal L2 self. Another study by Öz and Bursalı
(2018, p. 7) showed that “trying to elevate the students’ ideal L2 selves can contribute to their
communication behavior and can eventually make them more competent users of the target
language.”
Though the L2MSS has been extensively researched globally, there is an evident lack of research
on this important and highly relevant topic in the Arab context, specifically in the Arabian Gulf
region. Studies on this topic would provide significant insights because “cross-cultural
differences in the conceptualization of the Self in general, and the L2 Self in particular, could be
taken explicitly into account in the development of new research tools and measures”
(MacIntyre et al., 2009b, p. 196). In their study, Segalowitz et al. (2009) maintained that there
was a need for more research to ascertain whether or not this system has any “universal”
elements that could be applied cross-culturally. Cross-cultural differences were also
highlighted by Taguchi et al. (2009) and Dörnyei and Ushioda (2009). Further research could
shed light on different variables and provide valuable insights into how a learner’s cultural
background and L1 could affect the relationship between the L2MSS and WTC; previous
research has established that such variables have an influence on the motivational system and
the effects of its components. Accordingly, this study is looking to address the following
questions:
RQ1 Is there a correlation between the IWTC and L2MSS among Kuwaiti college-level
learners of English as a foreign language (EFL)?
RQ2 What are the relationships between each element of the learners’ L2MSS and the
components of the IWTC?
METHODOLOGY
The study used a quantitative research design of a survey (54 items) in two parts. The first part
(items 1 to 27) measured the IWTC, and the second part (items 28 to 54) the L2MSS. Each part
is further explained below.
Questions on the instructional willingness to communicate
The questionnaire had 27 items that could measure learners’ IWTC. The questionnaire was
developed and adapted by Khatib and Nourzadah (2015). Six components of the IWTC were
measured (1) communicative self-confidence (items 1 to 5), (2) integrative orientation (items
6 to 10), (3) the situational context of L2 use(items 11 to 14), (4) topical enticement(items 15
to 18), (5) learning responsibility(items 19 to 22), and (6) off-instruction communication(items
23 to 27). The components were measured on a four-point Likert scale. The scores ranged from
1 = would rather avoid to 4 = very much willing. The mean and standard deviation were
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Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to Communicate in the
Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
determined for each item, and the subscores of all of the components were calculated. Each
item and its corresponding components are shown in tables as presented in Alenezi et al.
(2021). An example is presented in Appendix A.
Questions on the L2 motivational self system
The second part of the questionnaire had another 27 items, which were concerned with the
L2MSS. The adapted questionnaire had been used by Subekti (2018) for measuring the three
elements of the L2MSS, the ideal self (IS) (items 1-9) , ought-to self (OTS) ( items 10 to 18), and
learning experience (LExp) ( items 19 to 27). This section of our questionnaire (items 28 to 54)
was mainly adapted from Taguchi et al. (2009). In Subekti’s (2018) study, the range of scores
was changed from a six-level to a five-level Likert scale due to the Indonesian participants’
familiarity with the scale. Also, some items were changed to clearly focus on the LExp element.
Once we were convinced that the scale would be appropriate and had linguistically modified it
to be fit for Arabic participants, we adapted the English version of Subekti’s study for our
research.
Sample and testing
The participants in the study were 247 (235 female and 12 male) young adult students between
the age of 18 to 23 years, who were studying in two colleges in Kuwait, the College of Business
Studies and the College of Technological Studies. All the students were native speakers of Arabic
and were enrolled in a 2-year diploma program; students who were first enrolled in general
English classes could later take classes in English for a specific purpose. Depending on their
majors, each student could enroll in four English classes during the diploma program.
Data collection and analysis procedure
After translating and validating the questionnaires for testing, the survey was distributed to the
students. Scores for the 54 items were collected and calculated by the Microsoft Excel program
and then coded into SPSS v. 25. Before running the correlation test to measure the impact of the
L2MSS on the IWTC, the research instrument was validated for its suitability for the data; thus,
the tool with its two parts was tested for reliability and validity. The results are presented in
the results section of the study and further elucidated in the discussion section.
Measurement validation
The validity and reliability of the measurements were tested by confirmatory factor analysis
(CFA) using AMOS v. 24. The testing considered the main construct of the IWTC and its six
subconstructs and the main construct of the L2MSS and its three subconstructs.
A model is considered fit for testing if it is valid and reliable. To measure the validity, one must
establish an acceptable level of the goodness-of–fit for the model and find specific evidence of
the model’s construct validity. Kelly (1927) declared that a test is valid if it measures what it is
supposed to measure. The psychometric characteristics of both the IWTC and L2MSS models
were analyzed by checking their convergent validity, discriminant validity, composite
reliability, and construct reliability (Akgül, 2019).
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RESULTS
IWTC measurement validation
Psychometric evaluation of IWTC model
The CFA was performed in two stages, a first-order measurement and a second-order
measurement. In the first-order measurement, the questionnaire items (observed variables)
were plotted with arrows pointing to their hypothesized constructs (latent variables); six
constructs were plotted: comp1, comp2, comp3, comp4, comp5, and comp6. In the second- order measurement, a higher construct, the IWTC, was added to the diagram (Appendix B). The
validity and reliability checks described above were then used for both the IWTC and L2MSS
models.
Convergent validity
Standardized factor loadings for the questionnaire items and their corresponding constructs
are reported in:
Table 1. They range between 0.277 and 0.991, indicating that all items (observed variables)
were statistically significant for loading on their hypothesized constructs (p < .001).
Table 1. Factor Loadings of IWTC Components as Determined by CFA
Factor
Loadings
Factor
Loadings
Factor
Loadings
Component 1 0.909* Component 3 0.991* Component 5 0.832*
S1 0.593* S11 0.506* S19 0.277*
S2 0.619* S12 0.423* S20 0.353*
S3 0.504* S13 0.583* S21 0.575*
S4 0.554* S14 0.618* S22 0.899*
S5 0.414* Component 4 0.355* Component 6 0.267*
Component 2 0.658* S15 0.910* S23 0.470*
S6 0.680* S16 0.600* S24 0.767*
S7 0.800* S17 0.597* S25 0.691*
S8 0.612* S18 0.658* S26 0.489*
S9 0.613* S27 0.499*
S10 0.465*
* Significant at 0.05.
The CFA showed an acceptable overall model fit for the IWTC, and, hence, the theorized model
fit well with the observed data. It can be concluded that the hypothesized CFA model fit the
sample data very well.
L2MSS measurement validation
Psychometric evaluation of L2MSS model
The CFA was performed to assess the L2MSS measurement model. A first-order measurement
was drawn in AMOS, where the questionnaire items (observed variables) were plotted with
arrows pointing to their hypothesized constructs (latent variables); three constructs were
plotted: ideal self (IS), ought-to self (OTS), and learning experience (LExp). A second-order
model was also created, in which a higher construct, the L2MSS, was added to the diagram
(Appendix C). Both models were validated by the validity and reliability checks described
above.
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Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to Communicate in the
Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
Convergent validity
Standardized factor loadings for questionnaire items and their corresponding constructs are
reported in Table . They range between 0.159 and 0.899, indicating that all items (observed
variables) were statistically significant in their factor loadings for their hypothesized constructs
(p < .001). Some items had low factor loadings but still were significant in contributing to a
corresponding latent variable (factor).
Table 2. Factor Loadings of L2MSS Constructs and Elements as Determined by CFA
Factor
Loadings
Factor
Loadings
Factor
Loadings
Ideal Self 0.412* Ought-to Self 0.236* Learning Experience 0.876
S28 0.624* S37 0.643* S46 0.573*
S29 0.733* S38 0.677* S47 0.644*
S30 0.842* S39 0.632* S48 0.899*
S31 0.870* S40 0.868* S49 0.708*
S32 0.654* S41 0.625* S50 0.635*
S33 0.668* S42 0.159* S51 0.713*
S34 0.354* S43 0.392* S52 0.273*
S35 0.513* S44 0.512* S53 0.728*
S36 0.600* S45 0.423* S54 0.674*
* Significant at 0.05.
The CFA showed an acceptable overall fit for the IWTC, and, hence, the theorized model fit well
with the observed data. It can be concluded that the hypothesized CFA model fit the sample
data very well. Although the LExp element was highly loaded on the L2MSS, it was not
significant; therefore, it is recommended that the LExp element be treated as a single construct
rather than a subconstruct of the L2MSS.
Structural equation modeling: path analysis
After developing and validating the measurement models of the IWTC and L2MSS, the models
could be tested by structural equation modeling (SEM). Figure shows the results of the testing
by the SEM technique in the form of path analysis, where the mean score of each construct was
used as the observed variable.
The overall fit for the structural model was examined and is reported in Table 3. The same set
of fit indices utilized to assess the measurement model were used to test the full structural
model. The chi-square was not significant, as expected, and the comparative fit index (CFI) was
substantially above the preferred threshold of 0.90. The absolute fit measure of the root mean
square error of approximation (RMSEA) was not below the recommended cut-off point of 0.06.
The fit indices do not indicate a good fit for the structural model. However, it is not the main
aim of path analysis to confirm the model fit; rather, the aim is to determine the causal
relationships between the exogenous and endogenous variables (Randolph & Myers, 2013).
The SEM path analysis of the proposed model generated the results shown in Table 4. The
results show that the IS had a significant positive impact on component 5, learning
responsibility (Υ = 0.212, p = .002).
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Figure 1. Structural model of the relationship between the six components of the IWTC and the
three elements of the L2MSS constructs
Table 3. Structural Model Fit
Fit Indices Acceptance
Level
Structural Model
Obtained Result
Small χ2/df < 3.0 3.652 Achieved
Incremental CFI > .90 0.982 Achieved
Absolute RMSEA < .06 0.104 Achieved
Table 4. SEM Path Regression Weights
Path Regression Weight Standard
Error
CR P-value
Unstandardized Standardized
IS à Component 1 0.107 0.114 0.066 1.619 0.106
IS à Component 2 0.055 0.053 0.068 0.777 0.437
IS à Component 3 0.077 0.083 0.065 1.174 0.240
IS à Component 4 0.099 0.091 0.077 1.285 0.199
IS à Component 5 0.194 0.212 0.064 3.045 0.002*
IS à Component 6 0.039 0.041 0.067 0.576 0.564
OTS à Component 1 0.018 0.021 0.056 0.325 0.745
OTS à Component 2 ‒0.027 ‒0.031 0.058 -0.468 0.640
OTS à Component 3 ‒0.097 ‒0.114 0.056 ‒1.737 0.082
OTS à Component 4 0.021 0.021 0.066 0.322 0.747
OTS à Component 5 ‒0.028 ‒0.033 0.054 ‒0.515 0.607
OTS à Component 6 ‒0.005 ‒0.006 0.058 ‒0.090 0.929
LExp à Component 1 ‒0.018 ‒0.021 0.063 ‒0.290 0.772
LExp à Component 2 0.005 0.006 0.065 0.080 0.937
LExp à Component 3 0.005 0.006 0.063 0.080 0.936
LExp à Component 4 ‒0.131 ‒0.126 0.074 ‒1.764 0.078
LExp à Component 5 ‒0.105 ‒0.121 0.061 ‒1.711 0.087
LExp à Component 6 ‒0.097 ‒0.107 0.065 ‒1.493 0.135
* Significant at 0.01.
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Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to Communicate in the
Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
DISCUSSION
The reliability and validity of the two questionnaires were assessed, and the results showed
that the models were fit for the research and met the thresholds for reliability and validity.
Therefore, the model was tested by SEM. Validating the research questionnaire was a necessary
step before the model could be tested and the research questions answered. One of the major
outcomes of the study was finding that the research tool used could assess the IWTC and L2MSS.
The results also showed that the tool was validated for a cross-cultural adaptation in the Arabic
context.
The first research question of the study was about the correlation between the IWTC and L2MSS
among Kuwaiti EFL college students. The Pearson’s r correlation coefficient was calculated to
test the relationship between the mean scores of the IWTC and L2MSS. The procedure revealed
no significant relationship between the IWTC and L2MSS (r = 0.012; p = .854). Although no
significant correlation was found between these constructs, a more extensive analysis of the
relationship between the three elements of the L2MSS and the six components of the IWTC was
presented by the second research question. The answers allowed for a better understanding of
the nature of the relationship.
The second research question examined the relationships between each element of the
learners’ L2MSS (i.e., IS, OTS, and LExp) and each of the six components of the IWTC. This
question was answered by the results of the path analysis. Only one significant relationship was
found: The IS had a significant positive impact on component 5 only (regression weight Υ =
0.212; p = .002). In Khatib and Nourzadah’s study (2015), the component 5 of the IWTC
questionnaire corresponded to the students’ learning responsibility, which showed the
answers to the questionnaire’s statements of 247 EFL participants as presented in our previous
study (Alenezi et al., 2021) and was also utilized in the current study. The participants’ learning
responsibility was the degree to which “the learner uses his/her L2 knowledge in
communications to develop that knowledge further” (Khatib & Nourzadah, 2015, p. 7).
The fact that only the IS significantly correlates with one component of the IWTC in our data
demonstrates that (1) the IS only impacts the learning responsibility component and not the
other five components of the IWTC and (2) the other two elements of the L2MSS, which are the
OTS and LExp, have no significant impact on any of the six components of the IWTC.
The learner’s sense of responsibility is to utilize one’s knowledge in communication to learn a
new language. The statements in component 5 in Appendix A emphasize the initiative learning
action by the students towards the teacher or the classmates; this can be interpreted as a
responsible act towards EFL learning.
The finding shows that a learner’s future perceptions about IS are significant factors in the
learner’s WTC in the classroom. The high overall average mean of the statements in component
5 was (M = 12.26) where the highest possible mean is 16. The statement with the highest mean
(M = 3.12) is the statement “willing to ask your teacher to repeat what he or she has just said if
you did not understand it.” This showed the participant’s attitude towards communicating with
teachers in order to better understand the communicated message and their WTC in language
classes. The highest mean of the statements of this component indicates the high level of
willingness of learners to communicate in class settings. The findings reveal that a learner’s
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future perceptions about the IS is a major contributor to their responsible learning as reflected
in their WTC in the classroom with their teachers and classmates. Therefore, the high degree of
learning responsibility of the students is significantly driven by their perception of how they
imagine themselves to be in terms of their inclination to communicate in the EFL. This self- motivation from within and not from outer elements (i.e., OTS) is a contributor to their desire
to communicate. This finding is in line with extensive studies in the field, which affirm the
significant relationship between the IS and WTC (Bursali & Öz, 2017; Khajavy & Ghonosooly,
2017; Munezane, 2013, 2016; Öz & Bursalı, 2018).
For the second element of the L2MSS, the OTS, the findings reveal it to be insignificant factor in
encouraging the participants to communicate in classroom settings. This finding aligns with
findings of previous studies (e.g., Csizér & Kormos, 2009; Öz & Bursalı, 2018). Kim (2015) found
that the OTS can be a catalyst to a certain degree, but it is not adequate to maintain a learner’s
motivation. One of the reasons for its insignificance was suggested by Csizér and Kormos’s
(2009) study, which rightly explains our findings as well. The insignificant correlation
according to the study is due to the age of the participants. They found that the OTS was not a
significant factor among university students but was significant among secondary school
participants. The age range of the young adult learners in our data is 18 to 23 years. Students
of this age are more likely to have a strong self-concept and independent personal identity, and
thus they have an anti‒OTS. However, the age factor is not necessarily a definite factor for
resisting the ought-to influence on the learners’ motivation. The societal values and cultural
environment of the participants could also contribute to influencing the learning attitudes
towards language learning and, consequently, learners’ behaviors, as is the case in collectivist
cultures.
Contrary to the insignificant impact of the OTS on motivation in certain contexts, the OTS can
be a powerful motivator (Taguchi et al., 2009). Studies in Asian contexts revealed a significant
effect of the OTS, which was attributed to the effect of the collectivist values of Asian cultures,
such as that of Thailand (Patterson & Smith, 2003) and China (Taguchi et al., 2009). Given the
observations of the role of the OTS in Asian contexts, future studies should look into the
construct of the OTS in the Arabic culture. Doing so might shed light on other reasons for the
significance of the OTS or the anti-OTS inside and outside the classroom, beyond the impact of
collectivist and individualistic cultural values on EFL learners.
As for the third element, although the LExp element of the L2MSS in our data was highly loaded
on the L2MSS, it was still not significant. Peng (2015) explained that the insignificant
correlation of the LExp with the WTC was due to the fact that the LExps of the participants were
mainly concerned with accumulating the knowledge necessary for passing examinations and
not with developing verbal skills. Based on our experiences as the teaching staff at the colleges
where we collected the data we can confirm this type of learning behaviour in most of our
students.
One implication of this finding is that language program designers should have language
instructors strategically encourage learners to engage in more extensive communication with
their classmates and teachers. This was found by Alenezi et al. (2021) to be effective in
promoting the learning responsibility. Realizing the positive impact of the IS on the learning
responsibility, teachers need to first be aware of its effect on learners. Then they can work on
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Alenezi, A. A., Al-Saeed, S. J., & Alazemi, A. M. (2021). The L2 Motivational Self System and the Instructional Willingness to Communicate in the
Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
developing the IS of the student by stimulating the visual representation of the student’s IS.
Motivational techniques can be used to raise the learner’s confidence, and this will result in
lowering the learning anxiety and developing the learner’s WTC. Studies not only show a
significant correlation between the IS and the WTC but also between the IS and academic
achievements and a learner’s performance on examinations (Khan, 2015).
The study has a few limitations related to the fact that all of the participants were from two
public colleges in Kuwait and were enrolled in a 2-year diploma program. Therefore, a future
study could expand on the participant base to private colleges and, possibly, participants
enrolled in a 4-year program. It is important to remember that Galajda (2017) stated that the
study of motivation and WTC is an evolving matter and “cannot be measured at a single point
of time but should rather be investigated for a longer period of time” (p.38).
CONCLUSION
The study aimed not only to investigate the relationship between the L2MSS and the IWTC but
to examine the correlations among the elements and components of these two constructs. One
of the prominent outcomes was that the questions for measuring the IWTC and the questions
for measuring the L2MSS for the Arabic participants were validated for cross-cultural
adaptation and thus can be utilized for future studies. The reliability and validity of the
proposed model structure of the main construct was assessed through the CFA using AMOS v.
24. The study showed that there is no correlation between the L2MSS and the IWTC. However,
the study revealed that only the ideal L2 self-element of the L2MSS model correlated
significantly with the learning responsibility component of the IWTC. The OTS L2 and the LExp
were insignificant in the data on Kuwaiti EFL learners in this study.
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APPENDIX A
Results of Arabic participants for component 5 of the IWTC in Alenezi et al. (2021).
Item
No.
N Statements Mean SD
19
20
21
22
247
247
247
247
You are willing to ask your classmate about the correct pronunciation of a
word (score 1 to 4)
You are willing to ask another student to explain a grammatical point to you
(score 1 to 4)
You are willing to ask your teacher to repeat what he or she has just said if you
did not understand it (score 1 to 4)
You are willing to raise your hand to ask or answer questions (score 1 to 4)
3.03
3.06
3.12
3.05
0.89
0.88
0.91
0.95
Total 12.26
SD, standard deviation.
APPENDIX B
Figure 2. First and Second Order CFA Measurement Models of IWTC (AMOS 24)
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Kuwaiti EFL Context. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 179-193.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10374
APPENDIX C
Figure 3. First and Second Order CFA Measurement Models of L2MSS (AMOS 24)