L2 Motivational Self System and Learning Approaches of High School Students

This study identifies the level of L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS) consisting of Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, and L2 Learning Experience, and the application of deep and surface learning strategies on high school students regarding gender and grades. The study is designed in both correlation and descriptive comparative models. The research sample is composed of 202 high school students. Two questionnaires are used in the collection of data: The L2 Motivational Self System Questionnaire and The Student Process Questionnaire. SPSS 22 is used to analyze data and the findings show that the level of L2MSS is moderate and the most frequently reported sub-category of L2MSS is L2 Learning Experience. Regarding gender, the levels of each L2MSS category of the female participants are greater than those of the males. In terms of proficiency, students with higher grades tended to have an Ideal L2 Self motive than unsuccessful students. The findings also reveal that learning strategies are moderately used and surface learning strategies are the most widely used ones, and the level of learning approaches varies substantially in favor of females. Besides, the students with low grades tended to use surface learning strategies more than successful learners. Finally, the students with high levels of Ideal l2 self tend to use deep learning strategies.