Directed Motivational Currents and Language Education

Motivational currents are intriguing phenomena – once you’ve experienced one you’ll never forget it. This book shows how these surges of motivational energy can be harnessed in the language classroom to boost learning. The author’s findings leave no doubt about the potential value of DMCs in the language learning process. This is SLA research at its most scholarly and most applied! * Zoltán Dörnyei, University of Nottingham, UK *
Amidst an emergent trend towards complex understandings of L2 learner psychology, this anticipated work not only suggests that DMCs are a widespread phenomenon, but that inclusion of student and teacher voices furnishes animated insight into their dynamic experience. In particular, Muir’s focus on such intense motivation in the context of group projects will be highly valued by researchers and educational practitioners alike. * Richard J. Sampson, Rikkyo University, Japan *
The DMC is one of those genuinely original concepts which makes intuitive good sense and one wonders ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ As Muir argues in this compelling book, it now deserves the focused attention of language educators, so it can be further validated through research, engendered in teaching and perhaps even personally experienced. * Martin Lamb, University of Leeds, UK *

Muir’s research is prodigious, and there are many things to admire about the book; however, the three major reasons that this book is worth reading are the following. Firstly, this book exemplifies the utilization of the quantitative research method on DMC, which breaks the domination of qualitative methods in this field in the past [...] Secondly, the book contributes to the exploration of conducting intervention studies to trigger and maintain students’ group DMC in classroom contexts—the underexplored and key topic of DMC [...] Thirdly, this book inspires us to explore some possible topics for future DMC research.

-- Lixiang Gao, Xu Yang and Honggang Liu, Northeast Normal University, China * Frontiers in Psychology, Vol 11, November 2020 *

The volume is an excellent, thought-provoking read and I recommend it to anyone interested in making L2 instruction more effective, whether they are researchers, teacher trainers, materials writes, or pre-service and in-service teachers.

-- Mirosław Pawlak Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland * SSLLT 10 (4) 2020 *

Muir has successfully presented not only an organised and efficient foundational basis for key concepts of DMCs for novice readers, but has also provided concise descriptions for readers more familiar with the topic. The book is suitable for L2 learners and researchers who are interested in L2 language-learning motivation, and for teachers who are seeking activities to boost motivation within the classroom. 

-- Alfaf Albakistani, Birkbeck, University of London, UK * LINGUIST List 32.2218 *