2004 Volume 26 Issue 4 Pages 1-7
The present study aims to explore the English learning motivation of students in the general education course of senior high schools in Japan. A set of questionnaires on English learning motivation was administered to 244 senior high school students. The data were analyzed first using a factor analysis in order to extract factors that could best explain the subjects' perception of their English learning motivation. The results revealed that their perception was explained by four kinds of motivation. The obtained data were further analyzed using a 2 × 2 MANOVA with the sum of the scores for each factor as the dependent variable and year (grade) and gender as the independent variables. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the 2^<nd> year and the 3rd year (2^<nd> year > 3^<rd> year) for the intrinsic motivations (F1, F2) and amotivation (F3). It was also found that there were significant differences between males and females (females > males) for the intrinsic motivations / knowledge and growth (F1), extrinsic motivation (F3) and amotivation (F4)
