The strengthening of motivation toward Spanish learning as a heritage language through an intervention program based on the CCSS

Abstract

This research aimed to strengthen the learners’ motivation toward Spanish learning through the implementation of a curricular pedagogical proposal based on the Common Core State Standards for Language Arts —CCSS. In order to reach this aim, a study with a mixed approach using cuasiexperimental and action-research designs was conducted. By means of a non-probabilistic sampling, the control group was composed of 38 students and the experimental group was composed of 38 sixth grade-students from Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences. The independent variable was a curricular pedagogical proposal founded on CCSS and the dependent variable was the learners’ motivation toward Spanish learning, measured via a Likert scale questionnaire based on the Gardner’s (2004) Attitude/Motivation Test Battery. This data gathering instrument was applied before and after intervention. In addition to that, a focal group was executed with the view to explore the target problem. Quantitative data was analyzed through the Student’s t distribution and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, while the qualitative data was contrasted with the theory. The findings brought to light that learners’ motivation significantly increased after the intervention in the experimental group. Thus, it was concluded that a curricular pedagogical proposal based on CCSS promoted the learners’ motivation toward Spanish learning as a heritage language.