Roles of Leadership and L2 Learner Motivation in Group Work Activities

Abstract

While previous second language (L2) motivation research on group work has focused on an emergent leadership (Leeming, 2019; Yashima, Ikeda, & Nakahira, 2016), few studies have examined the effect of the presence or absence of a leader-role student or their leadership on group members’ motivation. Thus, this study investigated how L2 learners’ motivation and group work dynamics differ between an experimental group that includes a leader and a control group that does not, considering Complex Dynamic Systems Theory. A total of 90 Japanese university students participated in the study, and they worked in groups of three on a picture description task. Multiple data sources, such as audio-observation data, as well as various types of self-reported data, were utilized to elucidate the process of group work dynamics. The results showed that, throughout the activity, an upward trend in motivation was observed in both groups, whereas there was a distinct qualitative difference between them. Furthermore, while it was possible to activate group work by the assigned leader, equal participation could also enhance positive group dynamics, even in the absence of a leader. Finally, the implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the use of group work in the language classroom.