Term

Fall 12-14-2016

Capstone

Thesis

Degree Name

MAESL

Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair

Julia Reimer

Secondary Advisor/Reader One

Jennifer Ouellette-Schramm

Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two

Andrew Langendorfer

Abstract

This study was designed to determine what kinds of motivation students at a Korean university had for learning English, how the students would respond to intervention lessons with strong critical thinking components, and to what extent, if any, did those students feel that critical thinking would be advantageous to the study of English. It utilized a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was collected in the form of Likert questionnaire items and analyzed in terms of Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended questionnaire items. The findings were that the students’ strongest source of motivation was their Ideal L2 Self, followed by the L2 Learning Environment. The Ought-to Self played the smallest part. Additionally, though the students’ opinion of certain critical thinking focused behaviors differed from that of the author, there was a generally favorable response to the use of critical thinking in the English classroom

Research Methodology

Action Research, Survey (attitude scale, opinion, questionnaire)

Keywords

ESL/ ELLs, Motivation, Korean University, Critical Thinking

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