The Exploration of Ideal L2 Self and Ought to L2 Self through the Lens of Teaching Materials

Abstract

This paper reports on the implementation of materials development to enhance L2 motivation for English foundation course at an international university in Thailand. The course was conducted as one of the English foundation courses offered for undergraduate students. Drawn from the current sociolinguistic landscape associated with English language teaching, the spread of English has resulted in a significant diversity of social and educational contexts in which English is being used and learned. Regarding teaching materials, they should positively entail the connection between the rise of globalization and students' classroom situational contexts. In this study, six task types were designed to create students' desired L 2 future selves; learner's vision form, photovoice writing task, your future history writing task, exposure to L 2 positive role model activity, a collection of L2 biographies, and L2 related desires (five wishes). Twenty-eight undergraduate students participated in the study. The findings show that the materials help students envisage their future selves and construct their vision. Moreover, students are motivated to build up their own desired language selves. This indicates that the teaching materials should be designed for students’ needs to learn English. The materials should involve students’ contextual dimensions to help them see themselves and their community as sources. It is recommended that second language teachers should adapt, adopt, or design teaching materials to correspond to the students’ contextual factors.