Motivation, trait anxiety and hope, and their relationship to academic achievement of Spanish foreign language learners: A case study in Secondary Education

Víctor Delgado García; Presentación Á. Caballero-García; Á. Moraleda Ruano

doi:10.30827/portalin.vi45.31868

Authors

Víctor Delgado García Camilo José Cela University
Presentación Ángeles Caballero-García Camilo José Cela University (Corresponding author) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8436-7429
Álvaro Moraleda Ruano Camilo José Cela University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-8436

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi45.31868

Keywords:

Motivation, Trait anxiety, Hope, English Academic Achievement, Secondary education

Agencies: This work was supported by master’s degree in Bilingualism and International Curriculum from the Camilo José Cela University of Madrid, Spain.

Abstract

This study investigates the current levels, relationship, and predictive value of motivation, trait anxiety, and hope on the English performance of secondary school students. We employed a quantitative methodology and an ex post-facto design. The sample consisted of 85 adolescent students (54.1% female, 45.9% male), enrolled in a public high school in Granada, Spain, who were assessed in motivation, trait anxiety, hope, and academic performance. The results show average values in all the evaluated variables; significant gender differences, favouring females, in competence and control goals, worthy future, and trait anxiety; significant relationships between academic performance in English and the variables hope, competence and control goals, worthy future, punishment avoidance, and interest in the subject; and the predictive nature of punishment avoidance and worthy future on academic performance in English as an L2. The data are discussed and evaluated for their implications for future research and improvements in educational practice.

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Author Biographies

Víctor Delgado García, Camilo José Cela University

VÍCTOR DELGADO GARCÍA, is an experienced educator with a diverse and international academic background. He holds a Bachelor's degree in History and has completed multiple Master's degree programs, including Teacher Training for Compulsory and Upper Secondary Education, Vocational Education and Training, and Language Teaching at University of Granada; International Studies At Aarhus University, and International Education and Bilingualism at Camilo José Cela University. He is a highly qualified professional with diverse experience in education, history, and international affairs. He has gained valuable teaching experience as a High School teacher at different public institutions (IES Ruiz Gijón, IES Albayzin, IES Galeón, and IES Reyes Católicos de Bogotá) for the last 3 years. He has also worked as a historian and archaeologist, providing valuable insights into historical events. Furthermore, he has served as an Intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and European Union at the Consulate of Spain in Lima, Peru, where he gained experience in international relations. Nowadays, he holds a position as an English teacher at the Ruiz Gijón High School Center in Utrera, Seville. Email: victordelgadogarcia94@gmail.com. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1542-3164

Presentación Ángeles Caballero-García, Camilo José Cela University (Corresponding author)

PRESENTACIÓN ÁNGELES CABALLERO GARCÍA, PhD in Philosophy and Educational Sciences (Pedagogy) from Murcia University and Master in Family Orientation from the Pontifical University of Salamanca. In her professional activity she has over 35 years of teaching and research experience in Educational research, Methods and Educational Innovation, evaluative anxiety and achievement, learning styles, new technologies used in classroom, antisocial personality as a high-risk person, cooperative work, social and emotional learning, errors in mathematics textbooks, emotional intelligence and mathematical performance, CLIL in ELE learning, second language learning, positive pedagogy, happiness, creativity, life satisfaction, family participation in the School, entrepreneurship, leadership, critical thinking, open-mindedness, among others. She currently has three active six-year terms with CNEAI and is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Education at Camilo José Cela University in Madrid and an Associate Professor certified by ANECA. E-mail: pcaballero@ucjc.edu. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8436-7429

Álvaro Moraleda Ruano, Camilo José Cela University

ÁLVARO MORALEDA RUANO received his BA in Education from Madrid’s Complutense University (UCM) in 2010, in collaboration with the Department of Theory and History of Education (collaborative scholarship and honorary collaboration). He obtained his MA in Advanced Educational Studies from UCM, and in 2015 he received his PhD in Education from the same university, summa cum laude and with an award for special distinction. Since 2013, he has taught at the university level (Infant and Primary Education degree, and MA classes in ELE, Secondary education, Management…), in the fields of emotional intelligence, and research into educational statistics methodology. He has held management positions and is the current Coordination of Investigation of Education Faculty at Camilo José Cela University. He has published widely in specialized publications and belongs to externally financed research groups. E-mail: amoraleda@ucjc.edu. Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-8436

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