Exploring the Motivation of First-Generation Learners of German in Rural Communities in Plateau State

This study explores the motivational factors driving first-generation learners of German in rural communities in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. While motivation has been extensively studied as a predictor of foreign language success in urban and peri-urban settings, its dynamics among rural learners with no prior family exposure to formal language education have received limited attention. The study employs a phenomenological qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with 25 students from rural secondary schools and community learning centres in Jos South and Shendam local government areas who had enrolled in introductory German language courses. Thematic analysis is used to identify dominant motivational orientations and the social, economic, and personal factors that shape them. Findings reveal that instrumental motivations, particularly the aspiration to secure employment in international organisations or to study abroad, are the primary drivers of German language learning in these communities. Integrative motivation, associated with identification with German culture, is less prominent but present among a subset of participants who had access to digital media content. Family expectation and peer influence also emerge as significant contextual factors. The study recommends that language educators and policymakers design motivationally sensitive instructional materials that speak to the lived aspirations of rural Nigerian learners. Keywords: motivation, German language, first-generation learners, Plateau State, rural communities.