Discursive motivation construction: A case of two Iranian EFL learners

Investigating the discursive construction of EFL learners’ motivation is a relatively new area of inquiry. Hence, there is a dearth of research into how foreign language learners’ discourse mediates their motivation construction. This study attempted to examine the discursive construction of two (one male and one female) Iranian EFL learners’ motivation in Shiraz University, Iran by examining their interpersonal relationships in the university where they attend, their future self-guides, and their personal struggles in, and alignment with social norms and requirements.. Employing Fairclough’s (2003) critical discourse analysis framework, the study revealed that EFL learners’ motivation is not single-dimensional and static; rather, it is complex, multi-dimensional and dynamic which is discursively constructed in the constant interaction between the individual and the social context. Findings also indicated that the discursive construction of EFL motivation involves the simultaneous interaction of multiple levels of learners’ interpersonal relationships, their ideal selves, and factors in local and broader social, cultural and political milieus.