A sociocultural theory perspective on English learning demotivation: exploring the urban-rural divide among junior high school students

This study examines English learning demotivation among junior high school students through a sociocultural theory lens. Rather than viewing demotivation as a purely internal psychological variable, this study investigates whether and how urban-rural sociocultural distinct conditions affect learners’ perceived demotivation. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study recruited students from two classes in China – one urban, one rural – who completed a self-report questionnaire, followed by semi-structured interviews, with the aim to explore differences in English learning demotivation and the sociocultural affordances underlying these demotivational variations. Quantitative results revealed a counter-intuitive finding that urban students, despite possessing greater socio-economic affordances, exhibited significantly higher overall demotivation than their rural counterparts. Furthermore, urban students reported significantly higher demotivation regarding course-related factors, while rural students were more demotivated by teacher-related factors. Qualitative findings further elucidated that these variations could be explained by distinct sociocultural constraints, whereby urban demotivation was largely shaped by test-driven instruction and peer competition, while rural demotivation stemmed primarily from insufficient teacher competence and facilities. These findings challenge the linear assumption that higher sociocultural affordances translate into stronger motivation, highlighting the context-dependent, socially mediated nature of demotivation.