The role of motivation and pre-linguistic training in the successful adaptation of students to the academic process in a foreign language in the context of global higher education

Abstract

The study is devoted to assessing the contribution of motivation and preliminary language training to the successful adaptation of students to the academic process in a foreign language in the context of the globalization of higher education; the aim is to build and empirically verify a predictive model that allows predicting academic success and the risk of difficulties based on input data on language competence and motivational profile. The materials and methods included a mixed design based on a sample of N=412 international students from English-speaking programs of three technical universities of the Russian Federation (2020-2023), the use of standardized indicators of language training (IELTS/TOEFL, Cambridge Placement), an adapted scale of academic motivation AMS C 28 with aggregation into internal and external indexes, objective academic metrics (GPA, safety of the contingent two sessions) and a subjective assessment of integration (based on SCAS), as well as 25 semi-structured interviews; Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 26 (descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, t-test, multiple regression). The results showed strong associations of language level with GPA (r=0.721) and subjective adaptation (r=0.653), as well as a significant influence of intrinsic motivation on both indicators (r=0.588 and r=0.612), with a weak and statistically insignificant role of extrinsic motivation; a moderate association between language and intrinsic motivation (r=0.314) and weak antagonism of internal and external motives (r=-0.158). A comparison of groups by duration of pre-university training recorded a monotonous increase in GPA (2.89; 3.45; 4.21), a decrease in the risk of dropout (21,79% → 4,47%) and an increase in subjective adaptation (5.14 → 8.52). The regression model explained 68,3% of the GPA variance; the largest contributions were made by the initial language level (Beta=0.533), internal motivation (Beta=0.357) and the fact of long-term training (Beta=0.198), while the external index was insignificant. The findings confirm the synergetic nature of academic adaptation: neither high language nor strong motivation alone guarantee success, but their combination provides the best results; practical implications include mandatory pre-university EAP training, early diagnosis of the motivational profile, and the introduction of predictive analytics into recruitment and support processes.