Some adult refugees learning English in Ireland : the motivational role of goal-setting and the European Language Portfolio

Abstract

This thesis examines how goal-setting in the L2 classroom, supported by the European Language Portfolio, contributes to learner motivation. It is argued that a sociocultural understanding of leaming, and an approach to the provision of formal instruction which fosters autonomy, provides an appropriate theoretical framework for examining the concerns of second language provision for refugees. This study of motivation in the classroom is pursued by means of an empirical investigation of adult refugees leaming English in Ireland. An ethnographic study, using multiple data collection techniques including participant observation, audio interviews and attitudinal questionnaires, is reported.