Local identity meets global culture: Reflections on the myths and realities of meaningful english language acquisition in Austrian communities

In this paper, I explore the reasons why my attempts at learning English in an Austrian educational setting were largely unsuccessful. I show the importance of putting motivation and applicability of the newly learned language at the forefront of any language education method. I argue that learning a new language can provide an opportunity for students to expand their understanding of their positionalities and identities in an increasingly globalized environment. I highlight an example of foreign language learning and foreign language acquisition in present-day Austria. I conclude by showing that without understanding how individuals see their participation in learning or rejecting a foreign language, and without understanding how they are influenced by factors such as parental attitudes, community involvement, and cultural expectations, we will not understand the complexities involved with foreign language acquisition.