Refugees’ l2 learning: New perspectives on language motivation research

Abstract

This study analyses the factors that influence the second language learning motivation of refugees in Italy. To do so, we have conducted an ethnography by making inter-views and questionnaires to adult refugee students of the Italian language. The analysis of the data highlights that the peculiar migration experience of this type of students results in specific language learning motivation factors. Starting by the existing para-digm, we discuss the refugee second language (L2) learning motivation as composed by the following dimensions: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Social Distance, Learning Experience, Self-confidence, and Anxiety and Multilingual Self.