Reconceptualising the Motivational Complexity of Multilingual Learning

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The last century has seen a rise in multilingualism as a result of globalisation, migration, and technological developments; by 2016, the EU alone was almost 30% multilingual, and the economic and social need for multilingualism continues to rise (Eurostat, 2019). However, while much research has been carried out on the motivation to learn a single second/foreign language, the motivation for learning multiple languages (multilingual motivation) has only recently gained attention in applied linguistics.The vast majority of multilingual motivation research of the last decade has focused on the influence of motivation for one language on the other (e.g. Bui & Teng 2019; Henry 2017; Wang & Zheng 2019). This focus has resulted in little to no research addressing motivational overlap, the elements of motivation and identity that affect multiple language experiences simultaneously (Jessner, 2006; Thompson & Liu, 2018). Our narrow understanding of multilingual motivation has led to a lack of adequate support for sustaining students' multilingual motivation, contributing to declining enrolment rates and increased course attrition (Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2020). The goal of my PhD is thus to begin filling this gap in research by investigating the motivational mechanisms missing from current frameworks of multilingual motivation. My research objectives are to define:RO1. The primary forms of motivational overlap unique to multilingual motivationRO2. How these phenomena interact to contribute to different learning outcomesRO3. Appropriate modifications to current multilingual motivation frameworksRO4. The validity of the revised framework across mono-/bi-/multilingual learning contexts internationallyAs a result, my project should work toward addressing weaknesses in our understanding of multilingual motivation and will serve as a foundation for the future development of educational resources to better support and sustain learners' motivation to pursue multiple languages.