Abstract
ABSTRACT Recently, the concept of self (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009a) and international posture (Yashima, 2002) raised attention in L2 motivation research. With globalization and English as an international language (Crystal, 2003), it is more appropriate to talk about an individual’s imagined identity in the global community and its relationship with English learning motivation (Dörnyei, 2005). To date, comparatively little qualitative research has been done on Taiwanese adolescent English learning motivation using L2 Motivational Self System. Besides, motivation research conducted in Taiwan suggested the influential role of parents (e.g. Chen et al., 2005). Through interviews and qualitative content analysis, this study aims to examine how parents’ English selves and international posture affect their children’s English learning motivation, L2 selves, and international posture. Participants were 9 Taiwanese junior high school students and their parents. The findings showed that most students’ ideal English self was emerging and developing and they had ought-to English self which was mostly influenced by their parents through parental supports not parents’ English selves, whereas most parents did not have possible English selves. Besides, most students had the tendency of interacting with people around the world, but their international posture was not influenced by their parents who did not have much interest in international affairs, vocation, communication and activities as well as provide global information for their children. Overall, the study suggested the parental influence on adolescents’ ought-to L2 self. Theoretically, the ought-to L2 self needs further investigation to see how promotional and preventional ought-to L2 self interact with each other and transform into ideal L2 self. Pedagogically, parents and teachers can be the role model and provide international information and discuss foreign affairs with students.