The Impact of the Native Speaker Ideal on Learners’ Motivation in an EFL Context

Abstract

In the present time, English is widely used as the common language for global interaction. In other words, English is used by both native and non-native speakers of the language to communicate with a variety of individuals with different backgrounds, cultures, and first languages. Nevertheless, in language education, the native speaker ideal is still the model of reference for performance. This case study was concerned with examining the effects and influence of the native speaker ideal on students’ motivation in Central Mexico. The participants for this study consisted of 6 female college students. They were enrolled in English classes at the University of Guanajuato as part of their undergraduate program at the time of the study. An interview of 10 base questions was designed to gather data. The results conclude that the native speaker ideal usually has a negative influence on students’ motivation. For this reason, it would be valuable to approach English as an international language instead.