Motivating Male Language Learners: The Need for "More Than Just Good Teaching"

Four American boys in an advanced high school French class and their teacher were chosen to participate in a research project. An exploratory case study was then conducted to better understand what motivated these boys to pursue their second language (L2) studies and to address the lack of related qualitative research. Through interviews and classroom observations the study shifted attention from what boys dislike or find different about L2 learning to what can possibly be learned from a small number of motivated males who studied an L2 throughout high school. While preliminary in nature, the findings help to confirm the results of previous related research with respect to pedagogical strategies that motivate male language learners. That being said, the findings also suggest that "boyfriendly" teaching strategies may not be sufficient. To motivate their male students, L2 teachers are encouraged to develop a caring relationship with them based on respect in an environment where both students and teacher feel at ease and free to be themselves.