Conference Agenda

Foreign language (FL) learning motivation among students is an important topic in the European context, as the respect for linguistic diversity has been seen as a key principle of the European Union and learning several languages is necessary for many people (Baïdak et al., 2017). This is especially true for the examination of FL learning motivation among students with different socioeconomic status (SES), as notable discrepancies in the achievement of different SES groups of students have been documented in many European countries (e.g., the differences in PISA 2018 average reading scores between advantaged and disadvantaged students were over 100 points in Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Slovak Republic, and Switzerland, the OECD average gap being 89 points; OECD, 2019).

Recent review of EFL learning motivation research (Vonkova et al., 2021), however, has shown that the majority of research on EFL learning motivation between years 2016 and 2020 has been conducted in Asia, only a few studies focusing on Europe (10 in Spain and 3 in Sweden out of 90 analyzed studies). Also, there is a scarcity of research on the relationship between FL learning motivation and SES (Iwaniec, 2020). So far, only a few studies have studied this relationship among European students, such as Alejo and Piquer-Píriz (2016) in Spain, Iwaniec (2020) in Poland, and Vonkova et al. (2024) in the Czech Republic. Thus, the link between FL learning motivation and SES among students in Europe merits further investigation.

Currently, the L2 motivational self-system (L2MSS) is the most commonly used FL learning theory (Vonkova et al., 2021). The theory has originated in the work of Zoltán Dörnyei from Hungary (Dörnyei, 2009), who distinguished three major motivational components: the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience. The ideal L2 self concerns a desirable self image of the kind of L2 user a learner would like to become, the ought-to L2 self refers to the attributes a learner believes he/she ought to possess to meet expectations of others and to avoid possible negative outcomes, and L2 learning experience covers motives related to the immediate learning environment and experiences, such as the influence of the teacher or the peer group (Dörnyei, 2009; You & Dörnyei, 2016). L2MSS theory is a theoretical framework to L2 learning motivation we have adopted in this study.

Our study contributes to filling the gap in the current research regarding our understanding of the relationship between SES and foreign language learning motivation. We build on the findings of Vonkova et al. (2024) and aim to further explore individual ought-to L2 self items and their link to selected students’ SES-related variables. Such an analysis can help enhance our understanding of the ought-to L2 self construct and contribute to future research on the link between L2MSS components and SES in European countries. Specifically, our research question is as follows: What is the link between Czech students’ ought-to L2 self, at the level of individual items, and their selected socioeconomic characteristics (school type, and parental education)?

This paper summarizes the results of my PhD study about young children’s early literacy meaning-making, which I will defend in July 2024.

In my work, I adopt a sociocultural framework, that understands literacy as social practice (Barton & Hamilton, 2000). Instead of merely focussing on reading and writing skills, I explore how language and signs are used, which underlying social and cultural norms exist, and how different contexts shape people’s practices. Furthermore, the sociocultural framework highlights the role of language and social interactions in learning (Wells, 2009). When studying young children, this view needs to be extended to include also other semiotic resources, such as embodied modes, or the use of objects (Flewitt, 2005). Hence, early literacy meaning-making can be seen as a process of co-construction, in which participants use language or other semiotic resources, to develop a shared understanding of literacy.

For a long time, literacy learning was seen as exclusively reserved to formal school settings. The so-called ‘readiness’ perspective claimed that children have to attend a certain developmental level, before being able to learn about literacy (Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998). The emergent literacy perspective contrasts this view by acknowledging that children acquire important knowledge and skills about language, reading, and writing before they enter school (Pegorraro Schull et al., 2023). Emergent literacy affirms that children’s learning about literacy begins as early as birth (Clay, 1975) and is driven by their early engagement in literacy activities and their natural interest in learning (Sulzby and Teale,1996). Although this conceptualization has been established in research for many years, the need to develop early literacy practices in educational contexts persists. Studies have shown that children’s early literacy experiences can positively influence their educational outcomes (Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2014). However, rich and meaningful literacy practices in early childhood remain rare (Wells Rowe, 2018; Torr, 2019). While literacy in early childhood has been extensively studied from a cognitive perspective, focusing on emergent literacy skills (Brown, 2014), or in the context of shared reading situations at home (Steiner et al., 2021), only a few studies address early literacy from a sociocultural perspective and in the context of educational institutions. Furthermore, studies rarely focus on multilingual children. My PhD study addresses these research gaps by investigating the literacy practices in non-formal early education in Luxembourg. Furthermore, I explore the ways in which children make meaning in early literacy activities and how they employ different semiotic resources. The context of Luxembourg is particularly interesting to address these questions, as recent statistics have shown that more than 65% of the under-four-year old children grow up with at least two languages at home. Moreover, Luxembourg is one of the first countries to implement a multilingual educational policy for early childhood. This policy, called éducation plurlingue, requires early childhood practitioners to foster language development, collaborate with families, and network with other cultural and educational actors (MENJE & SNJ, 2021). Regarding language and literacy practices, this may involve activities in Luxembourgish and French, the inclusion of children’s home languages, and visits to local libraries.

Achievement emotions play a crucial role in students' lives (Marques et al., 2013). These emotions include feelings such as pride, enjoyment, hope, and anxiety that arise from students' academic achievements and failures (Pekrun et al., 2017). Understanding the significance of achievement emotions is essential for educators, parents, and policymakers, as it can lead to the development of effective strategies to enhance students' learning experiences. Not surprisingly, many studies have investigated the association between achievement emotions and students' academic performance, motivation, engagement, and overall well-being (e.g., Luo & Luo, 2022; Mega et al., 2014; Obermeier et al., 2022; Pekrun et al., 2017). However, there has been relatively less attention given to understanding the determinants or antecedents of these emotions.

Aligning with the goal of promoting social justice and equity in education, prior research has extensively investigated the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in various student outcomes, including achievement emotions. Due to the limited attention received by achievement emotions in writing compared to reading and mathematics, this study focused specifically on achievement emotions in the context of writing learning and the classroom, recognizing the domain specificity of these emotions (Goetz et al., 2007). To gain a better understanding of the association between SES and achievement emotions, it is crucial to explore the potential mediation mechanisms underlying this relationship. Previous research has indicated positive links between SES and students' self-concept (e.g., Wiederkehr et al., 2015), as well as between self-concept and achievement emotions (e.g., Duggleby et al., 2009). Consequently, it is expected that writing self-concept may serve as a mediator between SES and achievement emotions. However, little is known about whether writing self-concept truly mediates the association between SES and achievement emotions. As certain achievement emotions, such as enjoyment and anxiety, have been extensively studied, this particular investigation focused on the under-researched emotion of hope. Thus, one of the primary objectives of this study is to examine the mediating role of writing self-concept in the relationship between SES and hope in writing.

While it is evident that family environment, including SES, influences students' achievement emotions, the strength of this association may vary depending on the school climate and support, such as teacher support. However, little is currently known about the effect of the interaction between SES and teacher support on achievement emotions in writing. Drawing from well-established research demonstrating the relationships between SES and hope (e.g., Raats et al., 2019), as well as between teacher support and hope (e.g., David et al., 2023), it can be hypothesized that teacher support moderates the association between SES and hope in writing. In other words, teacher support may weaken the strength of the association between SES and hope in writing.

Given the hypothesis that teacher support moderates the direct association between SES and hope in writing, the question arises as to whether the indirect association, in which the relationship between SES and hope in writing is mediated by writing self-concept, may also vary depending on teacher support. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no studies exploring the moderating role of teacher support in the indirect pathways from SES to hope in writing through writing self-concept. Based on emerging evidence regarding the relationships between SES and self-concept (e.g., Wiederkehr et al., 2015), as well as between teacher support and self-concept (e.g., Mercer et al., 2011), it is possible to hypothesize the existence of a moderation mechanism involved in the indirect association between SES and hope. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether teacher support moderates both the direct and indirect associations between SES and hope in writing, mediated by writing self-concept.