Background and Motivation of Students Studying a Native American Language at the University Level

This study examines the background and motivations of first through fourth semester university-level Native American language learners at the University of Oklahoma. A survey of ten questions collected data concerning demographic information, students’ home language background, their favored classroom activities, motivations for taking the course, and intended future study of the language. The survey was designed to discover who is enrolling in Cherokee, Cheyenne, Choctaw, Muscogee Creek, and Kiowa at the University of Oklahoma, and why these individuals choose to study these languages. The analysis distinguishes heritage language learners from second language learners. The results of the study work toward an understanding of whether these students are motivated by integrative or instrumental factors and how understanding these students’ backgrounds and motivations can inform teaching methods.