Saudi students’ English achievement as a second language: a motivational process model linking basic psychological needs, self-determination theory, goal orientation, and motivational emotion

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to develop a motivational process model illustrating how Saudi students’ Basic Psychological Needs (BPN) were linked to their second language (L2) achievement in English. Motivational theories that have been extensively researched in Educational Psychology were employed as possible mediators of the BPN-L2 achievement relationship. Those theories were: Self-determination Theory (SDT), Goal Orientation (GO) and Motivational Emotion (ME). The final model suggested that the temporal order of the mediational mechanism in explaining L2 achievement should be [BPN-GO-ME-SDT]. This outcome was modified from a theoretically- constructed, initial model of [BPN-SDT-GO-ME]. The most unexpected and novel contribution is the location of SDT. In the theoretical-based model, SDT was closely linked to BPN. However, the present study data from two sets of samples strongly presented that SDT’s link to achievement is the strongest and it is the final form of motivation that directly leads to student achievement in L2. The final model of motivational mechanism unpacks a chain of psychological drives in learning a second language. Two sets of data were collected from Saudi learners of English. Study One (N = 441) presents the results obtained from Saudi Arabian students living in Saudi Arabia who learn English mostly in the classroom settings. Study Two (N = 375) contained the results garnered from Saudi Arabian students living in Australia who learn English in the classroom settings as well as from their interactions with people living in Australia in general. The initial model hypothesised based on the research literature was not supported by the data of either Study One or Study Two. Both Study One and Study Two supported the alternative model of motivational process. The current research presented a theoretical account of how the four theoretical accounts of motivation theories can be linked together, to ultimately predict the L2 achievement. Discussions include limitations and implications of the findings of this research, as well as suggestions for future studies.