In the Shadow of English: Reimagining L2 Motivation through Languages Other Than English (LOTE)-Learners' Voices from Iran

Tusi Nasrabadi, Mohammadreza; Khezri, Farzaneh

Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2025) JCALS 2025, 2(1): 91-122 | Back to browse issues page

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Tusi Nasrabadi M, Khezri F. In the Shadow of English: Reimagining L2 Motivation through Languages Other Than English (LOTE)-Learners' Voices from Iran. JCALS 2025; 2 (1) : 4
URL: http://cals.gonbad.ac.ir/article-1-55-en.html

In the Shadow of English: Reimagining L2 Motivation through Languages Other Than English (LOTE)-Learners' Voices from Iran

Mohammadreza Tusi Nasrabadi

, Farzaneh Khezri

English language teaching, Farhangian university, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: (49 Views)

This study critically investigates the motivation of undergraduate EFL students at Farhangian University, Zanjan, Iran, to learn Languages Other Than English (LOTEs), a domain historically marginalized in L2 motivation research dominated by English-centric paradigms. addressing a critical gap in LOTEs motivation research dominated by English-learning contexts. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected via a semi-structured questionnaire from 24 undergraduate TEFL students (19 female, 5 male) in order to interrogate how cultural identity, heritage, and resistance to monolingual ideologies shape LOTE engagement. Findings reveal that students’ motivations are overwhelmingly rooted in cultural and spiritual affiliations—such as Arabic for Qur’anic literacy and French for literary appreciation—foregrounding identity and affect over instrumental, market-driven goals. Participants exhibited notable resilience despite institutional neglect (e.g., no university LOTE courses), time constraints, and limited resources positioning themselves as agents of change rather than merely motivated learners. By connecting individual motivation to larger structures of power within global language hierarchies and explicitly critiquing the ideological foundations of mainstream SLA theory, this analysis links sustained engagement to the need for institutional support. The study underscores the need to adapt L2 motivation theories (e.g., L2MSS) for LOTEs and concludes with recommendations for transformative teacher education, including curriculum integration to foster intercultural competence and critical multilingual identities among future English teachers.

Article number: 4

Keywords: Languages Other Than English (LOTEs), Critical L2 motivation, Pre-service EFL teachers, Iranian higher education, Critical multilingualism, Language hierarchies

Full-Text [PDF 797 kb] (40 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/08/20 | Accepted: 2024/11/1 | Published: 2024/01/1