The Role of Motivational Strategies on Young EFL Learners’ Basic Psychological Needs: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective

Enhancing young learners’ motivation has often been a primary concern in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). Adopting a self-determination perspective, this study attempted to examine the impact of teacher’s motivational strategies on young EFL learners’ basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The present research employed a mixed-methods design using data from questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and reflective journals. A total of 30 EFL young learners were selected and assigned to two classes, an experimental group in which the implementation of motivational strategies was studied and a control group. Four motivational strategies namely generating initial motivation, creating the basic motivational conditions, encouraging positive self-evaluation, and maintaining and protecting motivation were instructed in the experimental group. At the end of the treatment, all the participants filled out two questionnaires: The Student Questionnaire on Motivational Strategies Effectiveness and The Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. Also, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the young learners of the experimental group. The results revealed that motivational strategies impacted young learners’ basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness positively. Additionally, the qualitative data from the interviews and reflective journals shed more light on the young learners’ autonomy, competence, and their relatedness. Findings have implications for EFL teachers and materials designers.