Polish Secondary School Students Learning German: Motivation, Orientations and Attitudes

The study investigates the German language learning motivations of Polish secondary school students. Questionnaire data were collected from 100 students aged 16-18 years. Using the AMOS 18 package, structural equation modeling was run to analyze how language learning goals, attitudes, self-related beliefs, and parental encouragement interact in shaping motivated learning behavior. The results of this study reveal that the important factor which exerts the most influence on motivated learning behavior is an integrative attitude, i.e. openness to and interest in the community using the language, as well as the culture, customs and international status. Another important factor in this model is parental encouragement, as it affects the German language community, learning and instrumental values.