LONG-TERM STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN PRIVATE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TUTORING

Aida Montenegro

Abstract


What motivates a teenage girl to begin and continue having private language tutoring? This qualitative study presents a detailed examination of the motivations and experience of a German female teen in language tutoring. After three years of private tutoring, data were gathered by the tutor-researcher through scenarios, an interview, and a collage. Analysis of the transcribed responses revealed that having well-defined goals and clear thoughts about the connection between the school subject and its value (e.g., intrinsic and utility) help the tutee achieve her goals, (re)establish them, and make more conscious and strategic decisions. Specifically, the tutee’s mastery goals, school culture, and proactive interaction were conducive to improving the flow of tutoring (agentic engagement) and facilitating long-term engagement. Results also show that student engagement may be prolonged when these conditions are consistently encouraged by the tutor. This study builds on Achievement Goal Theory and the concepts of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement.

 

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Keywords


achievement goals, tutoring, autonomy, agentic engagement, foreign language

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejfl.v6i2.4336

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