A teacher’s moral role in mobilizing students’ motivation beyond L2 vision

Abstract

This paper concerns an exploratory practice (EP) project in a Japanese junior college EFL classroom. Central to it is an EFL course specifically designed to enhance language learners’ future visions of themselves as L2 users in intercultural encounters (Dörnyei & Kubanyiova, 2014). Findings show that this vision-based EFL course was effective in general, but had a far-reaching impact on one language learner, Aya, extending to “other domains which the learner perceive[d] as connected” (Mercer, 2011, p. 168). By examining empirical data (written narratives, semi-structured interviews, field notes, audio- and video-recordings, and a course evaluation) concerning Aya, this paper discusses the role that the teacher played in mobilising her future vision through this course. The main objective of the discussion is to extend our understanding of the impact and responsibility of the language teacher in the classroom.