IDENTITY, MOTIVATION, AND INVESTMENT IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Abstract

This paper investigates the interrelated concepts of identity, motivation, and investment in the context of second language acquisition (SLA). Moving beyond behaviorist and merely cognitive models, the study applies sociocultural and post structural theories to demonstrate how learners' identities and social contexts have a significant impact on language learning. Using core theories from authors such as Norton, Dörnyei, and Darvin, the study explains how learners' objectives, values, and self-perception influence motivation, while investment emphasizes the sociopolitical dynamics of language learning. The debate underlines the need of seeing learners as complicated persons negotiating power, access, and legitimacy in their learning environments.