From arrival to integration: ecological approach for learning Latvian in schools of Latvia

Abstract

In the context of a monolingual educational model, there is a growing need to understand effective mechanisms that support state language acquisition among students with diverse linguistic backgrounds. The aim of this study is to examine internal motivational orientations and language proficiency development. This study examines language competence through the ecological Process–Person–Context–Time (PPCT) model. The model analyses the interrelationship between individual characteristics, motivational factors, language practices, and institutional context. The empirical base comprises data from 647 students attending general education schools in Latvia. The sample was con-structed with regard to differences in linguistic background and duration of language immersion. The analytical strategy combines network analysis of motivational structures with regression modelling to identify key predictors of linguistic development within an ecological PPCT framework. The findings indicate that proficiency in the state language largely depends on the intensity and regularity of language use both within and beyond the school environment. Autonomy-oriented motivation enhances engagement in language practice, whereas social orientations do not lead to sustained outcomes without active language use. Across all groups, everyday language interaction exerts a more consistent influence than formal educational conditions. The results have practical im-plications for educational strategies supporting sustainable language development in multilingual societies within a monolingual system.