Multilingual schools: linguistic competence and motivation towards the foreign (English), the regional (Basque), and the majority (Spanish)

Abstract

Motivation has been claimed to be a key predictor of success in second language learning. Also, research into motivation in foreign language learning has increased in recent decades (Lasagabaster, 2012). However, few studies investigating L2 motivation include measures of motivation and linguistic competence. On the other hand, studies in bilingual contexts are scarce, and those considering motivation and/or competence not only in the foreign language but also in the native languages, are even scarcer (LázaroIbarrola & Azpilicueta-Martínez, 2021). Therefore, this paper seeks to obtain data which will help to address these research gaps by conducting a study in a school context with a foreign language, English, a regional language, Basque, and a majority language, Spanish. The objective is to explore the motivation and linguistic competence in the three languages and to identify if these two variables are interrelated. To do this, motivation, socioeconomic, and sociolinguistic questionnaires framed within the theory of the L2 motivational self-system (Dörnyei, 2005, 2009) were administered to 51 students in their first year of high school (aged 16-17). To explore a possible correlation between motivation and proficiency, the students also took an oral test in the three languages. Our results showed positive attitudes towards the three languages. We also found similar levels of competence in Spanish and Basque and lower levels in English. We did not find a straightforward correlation between motivation and competence regarding English and Spanish, although it is more noticeable in the case of Basque. Finally, students who speak Basque at home displayed higher levels of competence in this language.