Appendix 1. Categorization of Comments Regarding Motivational Factors
II. Learner Level
a) Need for achievement
Jan. 6 I was happy that I had at least studied the alphabet so well over Christmas break. I could copy down all the words from the board, and at least understand the system...
Jan. 6 I was a little proud of myself and felt good about the fact that I could copy things down from the board.
Jan. 8 I feel like identity in this class is based on language ability. At this point, I really don’t have much ability, so in that sense I feel like a non-entity. I’m a deadweight - trying to listen and copy down as much as I can, but not wanting or knowing how to respond or answer to
anything.
Jan. 13 I was writing a second quarter quiz. The really amusing thing is that I felt I did okay, for quite a number of reasons.
Jan. 13 So, overall, tonight I was actually pretty happy with myself, for at least appearing like I have it together.
Jan. 20 I hadn’t learned the new vocabulary that I had wanted to. So, I ended up feeling quite stupid...
Jan. 22 I got a better grade on my second quiz than on my first, even after not studying last weekend.
Mar. 3 I wonder if I can stay on top of it enough to really feel ready for that (the final). I haven’t done incredibly well on the quizzes. I’m glad the pressure is off for me to not worry about A-F grades.
b) Self Confidence
1. Language Use Anxiety
Jan. 8 I felt incredibly self-conscious to even say a one-syllable word.
Jan. 10 ...it was quite unsettling to wake up feeling so stressed like that. I need to relax a little! Jan. 12 I wonder why these dreams? Am I really feeling stressed?
Jan. 13 I really do need to learn to relax about this whole process. Crazy dreams are a sign of the pressure that I’m putting on myself. And it’s unnecessary pressure.
Jan. 15 It’s so amazing to feel so nervous to stand up in front of the class and recite a few words. And I usually stand up in front of classes! But, this was different. I found myself not even once thinking of the meaning...
Feb. 3 I felt nervous once I started to record and had to do it a few times.
Feb. 10 It does feel strange to hear those strange sounds come out of my mouth.
Feb. 21 It seems like such an effort. I don’t know where to begin. I don’t know how to say what I want to say! (context of writing)
Mar 3 I am still a little nervous, though, for the final exam.
Mar 5 Talk about feeling nervous. (context of group performance) 2. Perceived L2 Competence
Jan. 12 I feel like I need to catch up fast, and it’s not happening. I lack so much vocabulary. I’ve been studying the forms and styles and I ...
Jan. 13 I knew the rules to do this ...so I conjugated to my hearts content. Did I know any of the verbs I was working with? Not one of them! But, for that part, meaning wasn’t necessary. Feb. 3 ...what frustrates me is that I can get by with it. True, I felt like I bombed last week’s quiz, but I didn’t really care!
Feb. 7 I’m also starting to realize how slow my reading ability is. If we are going over something in class, I can kind of follow, but if I would have to read out loud...
Mar. 10 Either I know this stuff by now or I don’t, and what I need to do before the final is review and remind myself of what I do know.
Mar. 13 ...at the end of the test...reading section...I just didn’t know any of this vocabulary. 3. Causal Attributions
Jan. 13 ...throughout my entire educational career I’ve always “survived” classes well, regardless of whether I felt like I understood the material well. I’m reminded of my French experience - getting A’s in each class, but never feeling like I learned French. Following rules is something I can do quite well!...
Jan. 15 Luckily, I’ve always been able to memorize things well short-term.
Jan. 20 Why did I second guess myself? I remember doing this in Phonetics class, too, with the dictations. If I just trusted my first instinct, then many times it was okay.
Jan. 29 Of course, I haven’t been very consistent with that (vocabulary notebook) I never seem to change, do I?
Feb. 3 I’m so good at putting off studying, and that really frustrates me. This is how it went for Chinese, and now Korean.
Feb. 3 Why do I put off studying? Why is it the last thing I’ll sit down to do? Is it simply laziness, or is there more to it? And if there is more to it - what is it about?...(list many doubts) Feb. 5 Part of my problem with learning a language is my personality! Fancy that! I’ve thought this before, especially with my experience in China...
Feb. 10 My dad always used to tell me I was good at studying and had good study habits. But, thinking about it, I never read all I had to read in college...
4. Self Efficacy
Jan. 19 When we started singing, the melody was pretty simple, but again, whenever she tried to speed us up, my mouth simply wouldn’t keep up. I tried, but ended up butchering words, having entirely wrong vowels come out of my mouth...so, there were times that I just ended up humming the melody.
Jan. 24 This is when I felt a great surge of excitement, and probably a little desire to show off, and insisted that they pass me the bill so I could read it. (at a restaurant)
Feb. 19 For not preparing for the quiz, for feeling like I was doing so lousy in the class, for not feeling well, for getting so busy this quarter that I couldn’t stay on top of things, for not
reviewing my Korean every day...Such feelings of failure.
Mar. 3 I have trouble getting Korean out of my mouth. Sometimes in class we have to repeat the teacher, and I just can’t read fast enough and make my mouth do what I want it to...So I often give up and not say certain words.