L2 Motivational Self System in Practice: Alleviating Students’ Learned Helplessness Through a Vision-Based Program

Abstract

This study investigated learned helplessness (LH) experienced by male secondary students of the English language and examined the effects of a motivational program based on the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS). Primarily, we administered the Learned Helplessness Scale to 189 students in a public school in Tehran, along with the Student Behavior Checklist completed by their teachers to identify and screen students with helplessness. The final sample (n = 74) was randomly assigned to experimental and control groups after evaluating the initial results. By designing and implementing an intervention program based on Dörnyei’s L2MSS and supportive teaching for a semester, positive results were found with alleviated helplessness symptoms and improved academic achievements in the experimental group. Based on the results, teachers and their motivational practices could help alleviate students’ LH. Furthermore, the durability of the improvements remained elevated at a 6-month follow-up after the intervention. Further implications are discussed.

Appendices

Appendix

Summary of the Major Activities with Sample Events Conducted in the Intervention Program

Motivational Activity	Sample Events
Creating the vision
• Recognizing students’ current and desired future selves by writing or talking about their experiences in learning	Ss were required to think about their current and desired L2 selves and then instructed to close their eyes, remain relaxed, and visualize their desired future selves and consider the differences between their current and ideal selves. Ss in groups brainstormed and collaborated in writing about their dreams and future jobs and presented them to the class
• Applying guided and narrative imagery by listening to a script and writing about a specific theme by visualizing their desired self
• Providing real role models with good competence to communicate with in order to develop plausible and clear goals
Strengthening the vision
• Developing and elaborating on the L2 Ideal Selves through The Ideal Self Tree activity and developing action plans	First, students were instructed on possible selves and the way visualizing their ideal selves could motivate them. They were then instructed to draw an Ideal Self Tree to define the means to achieve their aims. The teacher also asked them to write a short story about their future selves and define how they could reach their ideal self and how this experience would change their lives
• Providing detailed descriptions of their future desired self and specific timelines for pre-planned achievable goals
• Conducting guided imagery with motivational themes to build confidence through collective guided imageries
Substantiating the vision by making it plausible
• Encouraging learners to refine their goals and learn how to reset their beliefs about their current selves	Ss were allowed to talk about their failures to learn how to attribute them properly. The teacher also explained the perceived lack of control through a short story to reset and refine their beliefs about their actions. They were instructed to develop manageable goals initially to motivate them and reject the perceived effort/outcome disassociation
• Instructing students to write down their strengths and weaknesses and lack of perceived control
• Teaching students how to attribute their failures and try to eliminate obstacles by recognizing their strengths
Transforming the vision into action
• Promoting Ss’ autonomy to actualize what they have planned through regular reports	The teacher instructed Ss to regulate and motivate themselves in every success in fulfilling their objectives and take responsibility for their promises. Ss were asked to assign specific dates for their action plans and share their experiences with their peers to develop an alternative plan if they could not achieve their primary goals
• Sharing their experiences with their peers for continuous assessment and refinement through positive feedbacks
• Providing instructions about motivational self-regulation and positive feedbacks about Ss’ progress
Keeping the vision alive
• Specifying reminders on particular dates to assess Ss’ development and discuss probable issues	Every week, Ss were required to report on their progress and performance on short-term goals to be assessed by the class to provide positive feedback on every success. The teacher provided Ss with a handout to learn how to revise and refine their aims. They were asked to travel through time to see themselves as a confident and fluent speaker and write down everything they could imagine
• Discussing probable revision of goals and visions to make them achievable and engage Ss in fulfilling their goals
• Providing guided imagery with a writing activity based on the developed aims as a reminder of their promises
Counterbalancing the vision
• Stressing flexibility in revising goals in case of failure to achieve them and realize how to attribute their failures	Ss discussed with each other what they would do if they fail to accomplish their duties and goals. The teacher read scripted imagery about someone who failed to accomplish his tasks and successfully changed his job. Ss wrote about their feared selves to offset it with ideal selves through providing negative short stories
• Emphasizing ought-to self to persist in following their action plans
• Providing visualized negative consequences of failures and feared selves to minimize their effect