Investigating Factors that Motivate Foreign Students to Learn Japanese

Abstract

In this study, I conduct research on the orientations and motivations of Japanese language learners who were in the intermediate level class at a language school in Aichi. Questionnaire surveys revealed that the respondents (N=58) were low on integrativeness and high on extrinsic motivation, compared with others on other levels. In contrast, learners with high motivation to learn Japanese were found to hold high ambition and be a good resource person to other students.