Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/64764

Interest in learning, particularly for foreign language learners, is important to promote their desire to facilitate and continue learning. Most previous studies focusing on learner motivation classify interests simply under intrinsic motivation; thus, they do not describe these interests in detail. This study aimed to provide a detailed description of the interests of Mexican learners of Japanese. It also aimed to find how their interests vary depending on the amount of their linguistic knowledge. The data for this study were collected using open ended questionnaires and analyzed qualitatively. The results indicated that learners' interests encompass various aspects of the Japanese language and also revealed some qualitative differences in the contents of the interests, which varied according to the learners' learning experiences.