Motivation is a key factor that influences learners’ rate and success of second language(L2) learning. Currently, research on L2 motivation has reached the socio-dynamic stage. Research approach on L2 motivation has accordingly experienced a dynamic turn from its traditional quantitative research paradigm to qualitative research paradigm or some novel dynamic approaches. However, narrative inquiry still has not be adopted and evaluated in this field, albeit it matches quite well the dynamic study criteria of the data to be dense, longitudinal and individual. This study adopts narrative inquiry as research method and explores an English major’s (Jean) dynamic motivational trajectory and characteristics within her 17-year FEL learning by focusing on the key factors of a motivational dynamic system, including timescale, changes and attractor states and context. This study finally separated out a storyline composed of five mini stories, namely “I was the best in the palm-beating system”, “I was living off my past gains”, “I had a crush on English”, “I indulged myself in English world”, “I have been like a dry well”. Four major characteristics of her trajectory of motivational dynamics were found, namely, motivational fluctuation, breaking-off and suspending of integrative motivation, creeping-up and plummeting of instrumental motivation, and co-existence of internalization and demotivation. This study makes theoretical contributions to research on L2 motivational dynamics within longer timescale and highlights the feasibility of employing narrative inquiry to examine motivational dynamics. This study concludes with implications for stimulating and sustaining learners’ motivation in EFL teaching and learning practice.
 

EFL motivation,narrative inquiry,dynamic systems theory