A discussion of findings from a longitudinal mixed-methods study, which employed a framework of student engagement to (a) provide deeper insight into the nature of Informal Second Language Learning among secondary school students in Germany (b) explore the reciprocal relationships between informal language contact, motivation, and attitudes towards language learning.
Previous studies of Informal Second Language Learning (ISLL) have generally provided evidence for a positive relationship between informal practices and second language proficiency. However, considerable individual and group differences have also been recorded, which seem to indicate that not all learners participate in and/or benefit from informal activities equally. It has been suggested that this variation may, in part, be due to differences in language learning motivation and attitudes towards ISLL, or because different (groups of) learners may interact with informal resources in distinct ways. The proposed presentation will discuss findings from a longitudinal mixed-methods study, which employed a framework of student engagement (comprising behavioural, cognitive, affective, and linguistic aspects) to provide deeper insight into the nature of ISLL among secondary school students in Germany. It also explored the relationships between informal language contact, motivation, and attitudes towards language learning, as well as their directionality; that is, the extent to which informal activities promoted changes in motivation and attitudes, and whether more motivated students were more likely to engage in informal second language practices. The presented findings will stem primarily from the third stage of the research project, which involved the analysis of quantitative data collected from 354 students via questionnaires and language learning diaries. The researcher employed Multilevel Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Latent Profile Analysis to explore the role of affective, behavioural, cognitive, and linguistic engagement in the participants’ informal practices. Using Structural Equation Modelling techniques, the study also provided evidence for various reciprocal relationships between engagement in informal activities, attitudes towards ISLL, and aspects of language learning motivation, including self-confidence, a desire to learn, and concrete learning goals.
