The Association between Secondary School Students’ Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, L2 Learning Experience, and L2 Intended Effort with Their Language Learning Styles

Students’ motivated behaviour, motivational factors and learning styles have been salient variables drawing many educational researchers’ attention at least during last half a century. However, the relationships between them have not received sufficient amount of empirical research. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the association of secondary school students’ ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, L2 learning experience, and L2 intended effort (i.e. L2 motivated behaviour) with their language learning styles. Data were collected through closed-ended questionnaire items with 6-point Likert and rating scales regarding motivational factors and learning styles followed by some demographic items from 340 secondary school students sampled from Tehran, Iran. Through Spearman rho correlation by SPSS version 26, statistically significant associations were found between pupils’ motivational factors and project orientation, group activity orientation, and individual activity orientation. The current findings suggest that educational decision-makers as well as EFL teachers should accordingly include special educational materials, projects, and tasks compatible with learners’ various learning styles and motivational factors.