The Motivational Journey of Japanese Foreign Language Learners

Japanese is ranked as one of the hardest languages to learn, especially for English native speakers (U.S. Department of State, 2009). Despite the challenges involved in learning Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL), Japanese remains a popular choice among foreign language learners around the world for various reasons including interest in Japanese culture and the language itself (Fukasaku, 2016). In this qualitative study, four international students who participated in a summer JFL program at a private university in Japan were surveyed and interviewed about their motivation of learning Japanese prior to coming to Japan, during their two-month stay in Japan, and after their return to the United States or Canada. The international students’ motivational journeys were analyzed using Dörnyei et al.’s (2015) directed motivational currents (DMCs) model, which exemplifies how surges in motivation could assist foreign language learners in achieving their, past, immediate, and future goals of mastering a foreign language. DMCs were most apparent during their stay in Japan and immediately after returning to the United States or Canada. Their surge in motivation was due to the interactions they had with host family members, their peers who were highly motivated to learn Japanese, and Japanese students. Upon returning the United States or Canada, the students discovered ways to interact with Japanese native speakers to sustain their motivation to learn Japanese. Although many of the international students did not clearly specify how they would be using Japanese in their future, they all had hopes of returning to Japan.