ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/er.2025.09.010
From Fantasy to Autonomy: A Spiral Model of Motivational Evolution Among Chinese University Students Learning French as a Second Foreign Language
Xinyuan Zhang1,*, Shu Yang2, Wanying He2
1Nantong University, Nantong 226000, Jiangsu, China.
2Nantong University Xinglin College, Nantong 226236, Jiangsu, China.
*Corresponding author: Xinyuan Zhang
This research was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Doctoral Research Initiation Fund of Nantong University, “A Study on the Generative Mechanism of Errors in the Acquisition of the Monophthong /y/ by L2 French Learners.”
Published: October 23,2025
Abstract
While the L2 Motivational Self System effectively explains the initial language learning drive, it less adequately captures the dynamic, non-linear evolution of motivation through periods of crisis and resilience. This mixed-methods study, therefore, integrates Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to investigate the motivational trajectories of 50 Chinese university students learning French as an L2, through questionnaires and in-depth interviews with 8 learners. Moving beyond linear models, our analysis reveals a four-phase spiral model: (1) Fantasy-Driven Initiation, propelled by the ‘Ideal L2 Self’; (2) Reality Confrontation, where structural difficulties cause a motivational crisis; (3) Interest Reconstruction, through the personalized internalization of value; and (4) Autonomous Pursuit, characterized by self-regulated learning. Crucially, we posit that the engine of this spiral is the dialectic between the frustration and satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) outlined by SDT. Each cycle of “confrontation” and “reconstruction” fosters greater metacognitive awareness and strategic competence, leading to a qualitative advancement in motivational capacity. This study offers a nuanced theoretical framework for understanding L2 motivational development and provides pedagogical implications for fostering learner resilience throughout this dynamic process.
Keywords
L2 Motivation; French Language Learning; Motivational Trajectory; Self-Determination Theory; Spiral Model
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How to cite this paper
From Fantasy to Autonomy: A Spiral Model of Motivational Evolution Among Chinese University Students Learning French as a Second Foreign Language
How to cite this paper: Xinyuan Zhang, Shu Yang, Wanying He. (2025). From Fantasy to Autonomy: A Spiral Model of Motivational Evolution Among Chinese University Students Learning French as a Second Foreign Language. The Educational Review, USA, 9(9), 813-818.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/er.2025.09.010