The Impact of Self-Concept on Language Learning: (79 Second Language Acquisition)

This edited volume seeks to highlight the effects of self-concept on L2 learning and teaching by considering a wide range of theories as well as their practical application. The book is divided into four sections and includes: chapters discussing various approaches related to self-concept; empirical studies related to the selves of the learners; research from teachers’ perspectives on students' self-concept; and L2 motivational intervention studies associated with the development of self-concept of language learners. The volume contains a collection of studies from around the world (Central Europe, Canada, Asia and Australia) which were carried out using a variety of research methods and have a range of foci including adult and young learners, public and private education, foreign and second language settings, and teacher and learner motivation.

Table of Contents:
Epilogue 1. Kata Csizer and Michael Magid: The Self-concept and Language Learning: An Introduction Part I: Theories Related to Self-concept 2. Zoltan Dornyei: Future Self-guides and Vision 3. Maya Sugita McEown, Kimberly A Noels and Kathryn Everhart Chaffee: At the Interface of the Socio-educational Model, Self-determination Theory, and the L2 Motivational Self System Model 4. Sarah Mercer: Reimagining the Self as a Network of Relationships Part II: Self-concept and Language Learning 5. Kata Csizer and Judit Kormos: The Ideal L2 Self, Self-regulatory Strategies and Autonomous Learning: A Comparison of Different Groups of English Language Learners 6. Tae-Young Kim and Yoon-Kyoung Kim: EFL Students' L2 Motivational Self System and Self-Regulation: Focusing on Elementary and Junior High School Students in Korea 7. David Lyons: The L2 Self-concept in Second Language Learning Motivation: A Longitudinal Study of Korean University Students 8. Kimberly A Noels, Kathryn Everhart Chaffee, Megan Michalyk and Maya Sugita McEown: Culture, Autonomy and the Self in Language Learning 9. Elke Stracke, Jeremy Jones and Nicolette Bramley: Investigating Adult Migrant ESL Learners' Language Learning Motivational Profile in Australia: Towards a Bicultural Identity 10. Kay Irie and Damon Brewster: Investing in Experiential Capital: Self-efficacy and Development of Possible Selves 11. Janina Iwaniec: Self-constructs in Language Learning: What is their Role in Self-regulation? 12. Masuko Miyahara: Emerging Self-identities of Second Language Learners: Emotions and the Experiential Profile of Identity Construction 13. Jim King: Fear of the True Self: Social Anxiety and the Silent Behaviour of Japanese Learners of English 14. Zhen Yue: Chinese University Students' Willingness to Communicate in the L2 Classroom: The Complex and Dynamic Interplay of Self-concept, Future Self-guides and the Sociocultural Context 15. Nihat Polat: The Interaction of the L2 Motivational Self System with Socialisation and Identification Patterns, and L2 Accent Attainment Part III: Self-concept and Language Teaching 16. Gabriella Mezei: The Effect of Motivational Strategies on Self-related Aspects of Student Motivation and Second Language Learning 17. Yuzo Kimura: ELT Motivation from a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory Perspective: A Longitudinal Case Study of L2 Teacher Motivation in Beijing Part IV: Intervention Studies 18. Michael Magid: A Motivational Programme for Learners of English: An Application of the L2 Motivational Self System 19. Letty Chan: Effects of an Imagery Training Strategy on Chinese University Students' Possible Second Language Selves and Learning Experiences 20. Jessica Mackay: An Ideal L2 Self Intervention: Practical Implications in a Spanish EFL Context 21. Michael Magid and Kata Csizer: The Self-concept and Language Learning: Future Research Directions

About the Author :
Kata Csizer is a Lecturer in the Department of English Applied Linguistics, Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary where she teaches various L2 motivation courses. Her main research focuses on the socio-psychological aspects of L2 learning and teaching as well as second and foreign language motivation. Michael Magid is an English Language Pedagogy Specialist at the English Language Institute of Singapore. As a pedagogy specialist, Michael is involved in the professional development of English teachers and conducts action research on language learning motivation and using drama as a pedagogical tool to teach English. In his work, Michael draws on his experience of teaching English at all levels in Canada, England, China and Japan as well as his background in Applied Linguistics.

Review :
The editors have done a magnificent job in pulling together an excellent resource book that includes all major theories and directions in the field of SLA motivation... The book turns out to be an essential resource for various reader profiles who are invested in SLA research and, more specifically, in language learning motivation. Researchers doing inquiry in this field will find it an extremely useful resource that undoubtly covers all aspects and perspectives around language learning motivation. -- Berta Torras-Vila, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain Bellaterra Journal of Teaching & Learning Language & Literature Vol. 9(4), Dec-Nov 2016, 82-86 I recommend this book highly to anyone who is interested in the field of motivation research and selfrelated constructs, and especially to (post-graduate) researchers. The variety of research methods used along with such a diverse sample of participants should ensure that self-concept remains an intriguing construct for further exploration. -- James Rock, Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, Italy System 55 (2015) 158-171 This exciting volume provides new insights into recent trends in SLA research: why it matters who the language learners are, how they regulate their own learning, and how their emotions, motivation and identity are shaped by their experiences. The chapters explore language learners in different contexts and show how new theoretical paradigms have shaped the way language learning is modelled. These studies document how new ideas can contribute to innovation in classroom practice. Marianne Nikolov, University of Pecs, Hungary This volume adds a rich tapestry of theoretical, empirical and pedagogical insights to the growing field of self-concept research in language learning. While current research in this field revolves in particular around issues of motivation, a real strength of this collection is its integration of a diverse range of self-related perspectives (including teacher as well as learner perspectives), and a variety of conceptual frameworks and research methodologies. Ema Ushioda, University of Warwick, UK Csizer and Magid have drawn together the leading thinkers in one of the most important lines of inquiry in the psychology of language learning. Readers will be treated to a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and implications of the self and its role in L2 motivation. No collection of motivation texts in SLA would be complete without this volume. Peter D. MacIntyre, Cape Breton University, Canada Overall, this volume deepens the reader's understanding of the impact of self-concept on language learning in multiple contexts. It would be of great value and interest to L2 acquisition researchers and applied linguists. Learners and teachers of an L2 can benefit equally in accomplishing the task of "motivating the unmotivated". This book is enlightening, applicable to diverse settings, and flows well. The unique and solid research methods represented throughout the different chapters, the diverse cultural backgrounds of the language learners represented, and the application of multiple theories related to self all make this a worth-reading title for L2 researchers and practitioners. -- Muhammad Shahbaz, Al-Majmaah University, Al-Zulfi, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in The Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics: 17, 2 (2014): 113-115