Learner motivation in French for special purposes: the case of French for tourism and hospitality in Kenyan universities

Abstract

For any meaningful learning to take place, learner motivation plays a crucial role. In order to ensure that students develop interest in learning, there’s need to take into consideration their motivations in regard to learning The objective of this study was to identify students' motivations for learning French for special purposes. In order to do this we collected data from students enrolled in tourism, hotel and hospitality training programs: which is a form of French for special purposes, in Kenyan universities. For this purpose we used questionnaires and conducted individual and focus group interviews. The data collected revealed that the factors that motivate students to learn French for special purposes are mainly pragmatic in nature. Key Word: Learner motivation, French for special purposes; French for tourism and hospitality sources of motivation; components of motivation; learner needs