The purpose of this article was to analyze the motivation of Lithuanian students to learn a foreign language, especially French as a foreign language. The quantitative analysis was carried out by studying statistical data from the Statistics Department, the Lithuanian Military Academy and Vilnius University. Another objective was the representation of the key elements of modern education based on the principles of motivation: reflection, creativity, autonomy, trust and positivism. The descriptive and comparative approaches to research have allowed us to point out the predominant importance of integrative motivation in relation to instrumental motivation among Lithuanian students learning a foreign language. We have also seen an increase in the popularity of English and Russian in Lithuania, replacing the teaching of other languages, French and German.

The article analyses the problem in connection with factors, stimulating cadets’ multilingualism at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (MAL). Motivation is considered to be one of the main determinants. Taking into account the main factors that influence the successful learning pathway of cadets, an individual is able to concentrate all his/her energy to reach the goal – achieve English language level II according to NATO language proficiency scale (STANAG 6001). The article presents a research, the results of which show the main reasons why cadets learn foreign languages and what motivates them. Additionally, it is significant to demonstrate how language learning at school correlates with the choice of foreign languages at MAL. The article presents findings, analyses and generalizes research results which can be useful in the development of learning and teaching of foreign languages, also in the broadening and improving knowledge about the motivation of learning.