Self-Determination Theory and Second Language Research: A Match for Many Reasons

Language acquisition is among the most interesting and complex arenas in which to study human motivation, learning, and educational strategies.Children of course, not only learn their first languages without need of external controls or rewards-they find energy and joy in the process.They are inherently drawn to speech, they love to play with sounds, words, and meanings, and they take interest in verse, song, and written expression.Parents watch this unfolding with their own joy and engagement, as they mimic and elaborate on their child's speech, read to them, and narrate events.Children growing up in multilingual environments will afford this stimulation and interest across languages.