This book dives into the messy, unpredictable terrain of language learning. Why do some excel in this challenging endeavour, while others abandon the effort? After describing Gardner’s model, disambiguating key concepts, presenting an overview of eleven popular alternative approaches to language learning motivation, and recontextualizing Gardner’s model as one of many possible approaches, neither in competition with nor claiming superiority over others, this book leads readers through the jungle of evidence and theoretical discussion on the track of new insights into the elusive phenomenon of individual success in instructed second or foreign language learning. Moving from the halls of Canadian academia to the bustling, colourful streets of Malaysia's capital city, the book reconsiders how multiple possible influences on language learning could play out in individual learners, inviting readers to take a fresh look at a foundational, yet still potentially exciting, analytical approach.