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This paper reports on a mixed method study that examined the motivation of 121 students in a 1-year intensive language course in German or French at a Chinese university. Drawing on Dörnyei’s (2009) theory of the L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS), a survey was conducted to explore their motivation to learn German or French. Regression analyses revealed that learning experience and promotion-focused instrumentality were the predictors for the German learners’ intended learning effort, while ideal L2 self was the predictor for the French learners’ motivation. Furthermore, ought-to self, culture/community interest and prevention-focused instrumentality were excluded in both regression models. In addition, 17 participants’ qualitative data in the interviews suggested that most of them had lower expectations for the value of German or French than for the value of English in improving one’s employability. Instead, they were much more oriented to learn and appreciate the cultural values of these languages. The results provided insight into the complexity of motivation to learn Languages Other than English (LOTEs) in the university context in China, and suggested future direction for research on LOTE learning motivation

Este trabalho fundamenta-se em estudos sobre a tradução como recurso metodológico no ensino e na aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras. O contexto de pesquisa é a fase inicial de aprendizagem da língua alemã no 1º ano de um curso de Letras. Os estudantes produziram um texto autodescritivo em língua alemã, comentado e corrigido pela troca de e-mails com a professora-pesquisadora. Na sequência, os textos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente aos membros do grupo, que os traduziram para o português. Para a análise, os textos-fonte foram alinhados às traduções com auxílio de um software gerenciador de memória de tradução. Com base em CACHO E BRANCO (2014) e em critérios elaborados a partir de AUBERT (1998), SCOTT (1998 apud LIMA 2004) e CHESTERMAN (1997 apud CACHO; BRANCO 2014), observou-se a aproximação das traduções com a língua-alvo (normalização)ou a manutenção de características da língua-fonte, bem como problemas tradutórios. Tais critérios mostraram-se adequados para verificar como os aprendizes compreendem vocabulário e estruturas da língua alemã. Com objetivos semelhantes, outros aprendizes de alemão compararam os textos nas duas línguas, comentando as traduções. Observou-se que atividades de tradução motivam os aprendizes e auxiliam a aprendizagem, permitindo abordar questões linguísticas e culturais. This work is based on studies on translation as a methodological resource in teaching and learning foreign languages. The research focuses on the initial phase of learning German in the 1st year of a Language and Literature course. The students produced a self-describing text in German, which was commented and corrected through the exchange of e-mails with the teacher-researcher. Afterwards, the texts were randomly distributed to group members to be translated into Portuguese. For the analysis, the starting texts were aligned to the translations with the aid of a translation memory software. Based on CACHO E BRANCO (2014) and on criteria drawn from AUBERT (1998), SCOTT (1998 apud LIMA 2004) and CHESTERMAN (1997 apud CACHO; BRANCO 2014), the approximation of the translations with the target language (normalization), or the continuance of characteristics from the source language, as well as translation problems were analysed. These criteria proved adequate to verify how learners understand the vocabulary and structures of the German language. With similar objectives, another group of German learners compared the texts in both languages, commenting the translations. We observed that translation activities motivate learners and support learning, allowing the contact with linguistic and cultural issues.

New technologies including digital game-based language learning have increasingly received attention. However, their implementation is far from expected and desired levels due to technical, instructional, financial and sociological barriers. Previous studies suggest that there is a strong need to establish courses in order to support adaptation of game-based learning pedagogy through helping teachers experience digital games themselves before they are expected to use them in teaching. This study was conducted to investigate educational digital games in foreign language teaching, to identify the determining reasons behind the pittfalls in applications and to explore the contribution of a serious game to the development of professional language skills of pre-service teachers. Pre- and post-tests were applied to measure the contribution of the game to the development of their language skills. In addition, a game diary and semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information about the problems pre-service teachers had and their perceptions on the whole process. The analysis of the data illustrated that there was great improvement in pre-service teachers’ professional language skills and attitudes towards using these games while teaching in the future. This is important in foreign language teacher education in terms of enhancing digital game-based language learning pedagogy for teachers.