Investigation of L2 Motivational Self System : A Comparative Study of Undergraduates from Displaced and Resettled Regions in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study investigates the motivation profile of the L2 undergraduates in the disadvantageous communities in Sri Lanka based on L2 Motivational Self System. Undergraduates from rural and war affected (resettled) areas were considered as disadvantageous learners due to the lack of human and physical resources for their learning.The large scale questionnaire study was conducted among 918 Sri Lankan public university science undergraduates. They were non-English major students who voluntarily participated for the questionnaire survey. The collected data were analysed by using the Structural Equation Modelling and models were developed to emphasise the key motivational factors. The results of the Structural Equation Modelling indicated the ideal L2 self as the strongest causative factor for learning English among rural and resettled undergraduates. The findings of the study reveal the strong ideal L2 self among the disadvantageous undergraduates in Sri Lanka. This study can be used for the theoretical and pedagogical implications, and future research in the similar Asian and South Asian contexts.