Motivational Engagement among Persian Farsi Language Learners Across Two Military Institutions

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigated motivational engagement among beginner-level Persian Farsi (PF) learners at two U.S. military institutions (N = 59), where foreign language (FL) assignments are mandatory and may not align with learners’ interests. Participants included 32 cadets at the United States Military Academy (USMA) and 27 service members enrolled in a 48-week PF program at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). The study examined how individual learner characteristics affect students’ motivational engagement, operationalized as interaction and interest, in PF courses in the two institutions. The study also explored which factors predict students’ motivational engagement in studying PF and which factors sustain motivational engagement over time. Data were collected using three standardized instruments, the Short Grit Scale, the L2 (Second Language) Grit Scale, and the Language-Specific Anxiety Scale, along with guided reflective journals administered over one semester, yielding both quantitative indicators and qualitative narrative data. Results showed that L2 Grit emerged as a significant predictor of motivational engagement and was the strongest predictor of learners’ initial and sustained interest in PF and their willingness to participate in the classroom. No significant differences were observed for general Grit or FL anxiety. Both L2 Grit and initial engagement significantly predicted sustained engagement, underscoring the importance of early involvement and perseverance. Initial emotional states, however, did not forecast learner interest or classroom interaction.