Think tank: Fostering motivation in language education

When these findings are placed in the wider political context of the Council of Europe’s 2022 Recommendation on the importance of plurilingual and intercultural education for democratic culture and the Council of the European Union’s 2019 Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages, both of which stress the added-value of learning more than one language, it is important to understand the role of both learner and teacher motivation as being in constant flux and in interaction with a wide range of internal and external influencing factors (Gu, 2009) and to identify these factors -– be they attitudinal, structural, pedagogical or political.

It is against this backdrop and within the context of its 2024 cooperation action with the European Commission, that the European Centre for Modern Languages is organising an initial think tank on the complex question of motivation in language learning and teaching. The think tank will not only attempt to identify the challenges for education systems in promoting the learning of languages other than/in addition to English but will give careful consideration to how these might be overcome. 

The scene will be set with a presentation of findings from both the 2023 Eurydice report and from the Eurobarometer 2024 – “Europeans and their languages” and will provide a platform for member states of the ECML and of the EU to showcase inspiring initiatives which can help influence this area positively. It will conclude with first ideas for a “Motivation Manifesto”, envisaged as a collective output designed to support decision makers and teacher educators in their efforts to reverse the downward trend. 

The one-day event will involve a combination of keynote speeches, short presentations, group work and a panel discussion. All plenary sessions will be live-streamed.

In 2025 it is envisaged to follow up on the results of the  think thank with an expert working group comprised, among others, of representatives from the ECML’s Professional Network Forum (formed of international associations and institutions that share common values and have overlapping expertise in the field of language education and assessment). It is envisaged to develop a “Motivation manifesto” – presenting key arguments for promoting languages in addition to English, inspiring examples and measures to encourage good practice in language to be taken. The “initial” think tank may prove to be a springboard for launching new activities in this important area.