Abstract:
This study aimed at examining the influence of social background on motivation in second language learning with special focus on two secondary schools, Akpor Grammar School and the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Secondary School both in Port Harcourt municipality, Nigeria. The population used for this study covers all the Senior Secondary Three (SS3) students of both Akpor Grammar School and the University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Secondary School. The selection of this sample population was by random. The research instrument used for the generation of data was structuced questionnaire. Our findings indeed reveal that motivation is very crucial in second language learning and that one's social background plays a very significant role to enhance his motivation in learning a second language. The Learning of a second language can be greatly enhanced by the right and adequate kind of motivation and motivation itself can be affected by factors such as age, personal interest, teaching method, learning situation and availability of learning materials, status, sex, etc.