Motivated Ukrainian language learning behaviour and the

weaker relation to motivation and have stronger relations with the Ideal L2 Self and the Attitude towards Learning English scales, instead. This outcome partially overlaps the findings of Kormos and Csizér (2008) and Alastair (2009), who both found that the ideal self and language learning attitudes of the learners were two main antecedents of motivation for both Hungarian and for Swedish learners of foreign languages.

Table 25. Results of the Regression Analysis Regarding Motivated Ukrainian Language Learning Behaviour (N=219)

Variable B SE B β

Ideal L2 Self .52 .06 .48**

Ought-to L2 Self .22 .05 .20**

AttitudeTowards Learning Ukrainian .19 .04 .22**

Parental Encouragement .14 .06 .11*

R² .71

F for change in R² 5.21*

Note. B stands for regression coefficient. *p<.05; **p<..001.

SE B – standard error associated with the coefficient

R² – stands for the proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by the independent variables β - standardized coefficient

Half of the scales included in the model form two of the three main dimensions in Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System Theory (2005). The presence of the ideal self in motivation constructs is widely acknowledged (see Dörnyei, 2010 for a review). Even its presence in the motivation construct of Ukrainian learners has already been acknowledged (Henkel, 2009, 2010).

But its counterpart in the self system, the Ought-to L2 Self has rarely been successful in explaining language motivation (Busse & Williams, 2010; Eid, 2008). Even if the ought-to self was included, it played only a marginal role in explaining language motivation (Csizér &

Kormos, 2009; Kormos & Csizér, 2008). Consequently, it has seldom been found that the two dimensions of the Motivational Self System play such significant roles as they do in Ukrainian language motivation in the present study.

Dörnyei (2005) states that instrumental motives can be found in both the Ideal L2 Self and the Ought-to L2 Self. It is also frequently mentioned that whereas the earlier contains more internalized instrumental motives, the latter is supposed to comprise more external incentives.

Besides, Dörnyei (2005) also associates the ideal self with instrumental motives of promotion focus, and the ought-to self with instrumental reasons of prevention focus. In any case their

influential role in the Ukrainian language motivation construct obviously denotes the presence of dominant instrumental motives in learners’ motivation to study the state language.

The two other scales included in the regression model are the attitudinal and the parental support scale. Gorham and Millette (1997) in their mixed method study concluded that both teachers and learners referred to the key role attitude towards language learning plays in their motivation. Gardner (2006), in one of the revised version of the socio-educational model, claims that attitude is one of the key factors in predicting language motivation. Previous studies also point to the central role of attitudes in the Ukrainian language motivation system (cf.

Henkel, 2009, 2010).

The Parental Encouragement scale also highly correlated with the Ideal L2 Self, which is a finding confirmed by Boyatzis and Akrivou (2006) who firmly state that the influence of certain authority figures in the learners’ environment can form part of the ideal self. Parental support also established strong correlations with the Ought-to L2 Self besides the ideal self and language learning motivation (Kormos & Csizér, 2009).

The most dominant scale explaining a large proportion in Ukrainian language motivation was the Ideal L2 Self scale. Thus, it turned out to be challenging what the elements of this construct are. The results of the regression analysis where the dependent variable was the ideal self can be found in Table 26.

Parental support played such a dominant role in the ideal self construct, as the ideal self played in the motivation system. One way of explaining this result might be that parents attribute more chances to their kids in terms of achievements, which Kao and Tienda (1995) call ‘upward intergeneration mobility’. Broadly speaking, parents expect their children to achieve more in their life than they did. In this case, it can be interpreted in a way that parents support Ukrainian language learning because they are certain that its knowledge makes oneself become a better job candidate (cf. Rueda & Chen, 2005).

Table 26. Results of the Regression Analysis Regarding the Ukrainian Ideal Self (N=219)

Variable B SE B β

Parental encouragement .40 .07 .33**

Learning Experience .19 .04 .23**

Relevance of Ukrainian .19 .06 .17*

Ought-to L2 Self .18 .06 .18**

Direct Contact with L2 Speakers .13 .04 .16*

R² .59

F for change in R² 10.01*

Note. B stands for regression coefficient. *p<.05; **p<.001.

SE B – standard error associated with the coefficient

R² – stands for the proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by the independent variables β - standardized coefficient

Thus, parents look at the Ukrainian language competence as the central key to future success. Furthermore, developing such an internal individual viewpoint has been one of the main latent aims of the state language education policy, i.e. to help parents to internalize external incentives requiring state language knowledge (Orosz, 2007). As a result of this policy, parents’ view of the inevitable need for Ukrainian knowledge has been ‘artificially’

enhanced so that it has even become an internal desire for them to ‘grab’ every opportunity that would help their kids to master the state language which they consider as one of the first and main aims of the school education.

The Learning Experience scale and the Local Relevance of Ukrainian scale have comparably lower figures in explaining the ideal self. Each of the three scales points to one tentative interpretation, i.e. not only parents shape the learners’ vision of their future self, but the school environment, does as well (Csizér & Kormos, 2009; Noels, 1999). Most of the learners use the state language and learn more about the language and the culture at the language classes, as they do not necessarily have frequent contact with speakers of the language, which is shown by the relatively low importance of the Direct Contact with L2

Speakers scale in the ideal self construct. Besides, the local relevance of the language is emphasized by parents, and teachers directly and indirectly by the curriculum, by the school-leaving requirements in the form of obligatory and successful entrance exam of Ukrainian, which is a prerequisite of further studies in Ukraine (Csernicskó, 2009d, 2011). As it can be concluded from the findings, the named factors affect learners’ judgment of language relevance, which in turn contribute to motivation.

Incorporating instrumental motives of prevention focus, the Ought-to L2 Self scale also plays a significant role not only in explaining motivation, but in explaining the Ideal L2 Self, too. It might shed light on the importance of external reasons for language learning play in both the ideal self and consecutively in the motivation of minority learners. Kim (2009) in her qualitative study associates the ought-to self with career purposes. His finding in the present study might be interpreted in a way that in their ideal image the learners want to be successful in their jobs and study Ukrainian with career purposes. At the same time their desire might also be linked to their parents’ expectations regarding career-related goals, and ambitions.

Thus, the Ideal Ukrainian Self system includes the learners’ definite desire to learn and know the language in part under the influence and encouragement of their parents, and in another part to meet the requirements of the school environment. Both parts, however, underline the relevance of the language, mostly, in terms of external benefits (e.g.: better job opportunities, the possibility to continue one’s studies). Besides, there is a significant ought-to dimension in the participants’ ideal self image, which also takes part in their Ukrainian Self System.