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Motivation and Emotion (2018) 42:527–545
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-018-9681-7
ORIGINAL PAPER
Schools can improve motivational quality: Profile transitions
across early foreign language learning experiences
W. L. Quint Oga‑Baldwin
1
· Luke K. Fryer
2
Published online: 10 March 2018
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
Elementary school is as much about developing attitudes as competence. With this fact in mind, the Japanese national
government established a plan to enhance elementary school students’ motivation for learning English. The success of
this program has, however, not been empirically tested. This study aimed to assess the longitudinal, discrete development
of Japanese elementary school students’ motivation for learning English as a foreign language. A cohort of 513 Japanese
elementary students participated in the study across 2 years of school. Students responded to surveys regarding the quality
of their motivation at three time points, and their engagement at two time points. Latent profile analysis followed by latent
profile transition analysis was used to assess the sample for latent subgroups. With subgroups established at three time points,
a Mover–Stayer model was tested to estimate the movement of students among the subgroups across three time points and
2 years of elementary school education. Three theoretically consistent latent subgroups were observed at each of the time
points. Based on theory and past empirical research, the subgroups (presented from least to most adaptive) were labeled:
Poor Quality, High Quantity, and Good Quality. Across the three measurements, an overall shift of students to higher quantity
and quality motivational subgroups was observed. This study provides evidence that the low-stakes, high-interest approach
currently undertaken may have the desired effect of improving students’ motivation to learn across 2 years of schooling.
Implications for both practice and national policy are discussed.
Keywords Motivational profiles · Longitudinal · Quality of motivation · Elementary school · Japan · Foreign language ·
Latent profile transition analysis
Introduction
Formal education, at its heart, is concerned with support-
ing the development of individuals. This support might be
explicit in the form of structuring, instructing and assessing
for knowledge acquisition. It might also be implicit in afford-
ing opportunities for teacher/peer engagement and personal
autonomy.
There is a growing understanding that students engage in
their studies for many concurrent reasons (Ryan and Deci
2000). Students may generally find enjoyment and personal
value to their studies, or may be motivated to act by rewards,
punishments, and other forms of external control. A grow-
ing body of evidence from numerous countries worldwide
indicates that students who perceive their learning to be of
interest and personal benefit demonstrate better learning out-
comes (Jang et al. 2012; Koizumi and Matsuo 1993; Soenens
and Vansteenkiste 2005; Vansteenkiste et al. 2005). These
internally regulated motives further play significant roles in
different academic subjects (Chanal and Guay 2015), includ-
ing foreign languages.
While Japanese students consistently rank at the top
of international comparisons of achievement in reading,
math, and science (OECD 2009, 2012), they have shown
a lack of growth with regard to foreign language profi-
ciency (Education First 2017). In localized terms, foreign
language motivation and achievement occupy much of the
same space in public discourse in Japan (MEXT 2003) as
STEM does in North America and other countries (Bureau
* W. L. Quint Oga-Baldwin
quint@waseda.jp
Luke K. Fryer
fryer@hku.hk
1
School of Education, Waseda University, 1-6-1 Nishi
Waseda, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8050, Japan
2
University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
@Phil_Robichaud
@deepthiw
@JoseServera