Quy nhon university undergraduate non english majaors perceptions of motivational factors in learning english as a foreign language

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY LE HOANG HA VY QUY NHON UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE NON-ENGLISH MAJORS' PERCEPTIONS OF MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS IN LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE Field: Theory and Methodology of English Language Teaching Code: 8140111 Supervisor: Assoc Prof Dr NGUYEN THI THU HIEN BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO TRƢỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN LÊ HOÀNG HẠ VỸ NHẬN THỨC CỦA SINH VIÊN KHÔNG CHUYÊN NGỮ TRƢỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHƠN VỀ CÁC NHÂN TỐ ĐỘNG LỰC TRONG VIỆC HỌC TIẾNG ANH Ngành: Lý Luận Phƣơng Pháp dạy học môn Tiếng Anh Mã số: 8140111 Ngƣời hƣớng dẫn: PGS.TS NGUYỄN THỊ THU HIỀN i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I totally assure that the thesis ―Quy Nhon University undergraduate nonEnglish majors' perceptions of motivational factors in learning English as a foreign language‖ is my own work for the purpose of graduating the MA course of English Linguistics The content of this thesis has not been published or written by any other authors except for some references which are used in this thesis The thesis has not been submitted for any degree or diploma in any university Binh Dinh, July, 2022 Lê Hoàng Hạ Vỹ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The total completion of this scientific research project is the result of not only my efforts but also the precious assistance of those to whom I would like to express my sincere gratitude First of all, I would like to express the most special appreciation and the deepest thanks to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, for her useful advice, aspiring guidance, invaluably constructive criticisms, and especially for her endless patience and warm encouragement during my whole study Secondly, my deep indebtedness comes to Quy Nhon University, the Department of Foreign Languages, the Natural Sciences Faculty, and the Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty for permitting me to conduct this research Thirdly, I am extremely thankful to 200 EFL students from the Natural Sciences Faculty and the Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty at Quy Nhon University who were willing to share their sympathy support with the tremendous assistance and provide valuable information with the friendliest cooperation for my research project Last but not least, I owe an unpaid debt to all the generous support, love, and care from my beloved families and friends, which has given me more strength, belief, and motivation to overcome all the troubles in the whole process of this research v ABSTRACT This study drew on Gardner (1985)’s motivation theory as the main theoretical framework to explore the perceptions of the Natural Sciences Faculty and the Sciences & Humanities Faculty students about motivational factors affecting their English learning process This mixed-method study was conducted to address two key objectives To achieve the objectives, all research participants completed a 20-item questionnaire reflecting their instrumental and integrative motivations for studying English SPSS version 26 was used to analyze the questionnaire data Moreover, semi-structured interviews were carried out to confirm the quantitative results The findings of this study showed that non-English majors possessed both instrumental and integrative motivation for their English learning, and instrumental motivational factors were more common among them The findings also revealed a slight difference in instrumental factors between non-English majors from the two faculties In contrast, they reported having the same moderate integrative motivation for learning English as a foreign language vi TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi ABBREVIATIONS x LIST OF TABLES xi LIST OF FIGURES xii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aim and objectives 1.2.1 Aim 1.2.2 Objectives 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Significance of the study 1.6 Organization of the study CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definition of motivation 2.2 Gardner’s motivation theory 11 2.3 Dörnyei’s (1994) model of L2 motivation 14 2.4 The Self-determination theory 16 2.5 Main types of motivation 17 2.5.1 Orientation and Motivation 18 2.5.2 Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation 18 2.5.2.1 Intrinsic motivation 18 vii 2.5.2.2 Extrinsic motivation 19 2.5.2 Instrumental and Integrative Motivation 21 2.5.2.1 Integrative motivation 21 2.5.2.2 Instrumental motivation 22 2.6 Motivation in English learning 23 CHAPTER 29 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 29 3.1 Research design 29 3.2 Research setting 30 3.3 Research participants 31 3.4 Research instruments 32 3.4.1 Questionnaire 33 3.4.2 Semi-structured interviews 35 3.5 Research procedure 36 3.6 Data analysis 37 3.7 Research reliability and validity 38 3.8 Legal and ethical considerations 39 CHAPTER 41 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 41 4.1 Motivational factors among students of the Natural Sciences Faculty (NSF) and the Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty (SSF) from their perspectives 41 4.1.1 Instrumental motivation 42 4.1.1.1 English is an instrument to pass exams and graduate 44 4.1.1.2 English is a significant instrument in students’ majors and in professional development 45 4.1.1.3 English is a useful instrument to get well-paid jobs and high promotion in the future careers 46 viii 4.1.1.4 English is an instrument to get respect from peers and other people 49 4.1.2 Integrative motivation 50 4.1.2.1 Learning English to read English materials or to understand English films 52 4.1.2.2 Learning English to communicate and make friends with Englishspeaking people 53 4.1.2.3 Learning English to understand English-speaking communities’ cultures, arts and life styles 55 4.1.2.4 Learning English to travel globally 56 4.1.2.5 Learning English to satisfy the enjoyment of this language 57 4.2 A comparison of motivational factors among students from the Natural Sciences Faculty (NSF) and those from the Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty (SSF) 60 4.2.1 A comparison of instrumental motivation among students from NSF and those from SSF 60 4.2.2 A comparison of integrative motivation among students from NSF and those from SSF 62 CHAPTER 66 CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS 66 5.1 A summary of the study 66 5.2 Implications of the study 68 5.2.1 Theoretical Implications 68 5.2.2 Pedagogical Implications 69 5.3 Limitations of the study 70 5.4 Suggestions for future studies 71 REFERENCE 73 APPENDIX A 81 ix APPENDIX B 87 APPENDIX C 88 x ABBREVIATIONS - L2: the second language - FL: foreign language - EFL: English as a Foreign Language - p: page - SLA: Second Language Acquisition - No.: number - ELT: English language teaching - AMTB: Gardner's Attitude/Motivation Test Battery - NSF: The Natural Sciences Faculty - SSF: The Social Sciences & Humanities Faculty - vs: Versus - &: And 86 16) Tơi học tiếng Anh tơi muốn gặp gỡ trị chuyện với đa dạng người nói tiếng Anh (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Hồn tồn Khơng đồng Trung lập Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng không đồng ý ý ý 17) Học tiếng Anh quan trọng cho phép tơi đến nước nói tiếng Anh (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Hồn tồn Khơng đồng Trung lập Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng khơng đồng ý ý ý 18) Tơi học tiếng Anh cho phép tơi cảm thấy thoải mái tương tác với người nói tiếng Anh (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Hồn tồn Khơng đồng Trung lập Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng khơng đồng ý ý ý 19) Tơi học tiếng Anh tơi có nhiều bạn bè ngữ nói tiếng Anh (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Hồn tồn Khơng đồng Trung lập Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng khơng đồng ý ý ý 20) Tơi thật thích học tiếng Anh (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Hồn tồn Khơng đồng Trung lập Đồng ý Hồn tồn đồng khơng đồng ý ý ý Cảm ơn bạn hoàn thành bảng câu hỏi này! 87 APPENDIX B Questions for interview in English 1) Do you like to learn English? 2) Why are you studying English? 3) Do you think Vietnamese non-English majors should learn English? Why/Why not? 4) Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two Basic English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? 5) Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? 6) Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English? Questions for interview in Vietnamese 1) Bạn có thích học tiếng Anh khơng? 2) Tại bạn học tiếng Anh? 3) Theo bạn, sinh viên Việt Nam khơng chun ngành tiếng Anh có nên học tiếng Anh không? Tại sao/ Tại không? 4) Bạn có muốn tiếp tục học tiếng Anh sau bạn hồn thành hai kì học tiếng Anh sau tốt nghiệp không? Tại sao/ Tại không? 5) Bạn có nghĩ tiếng Anh quan trọng hội việc làm / nghề nghiệp tương lai bạn khơng? 6) Bạn có muốn kết bạn với người ngữ nói tiếng Anh để thực hành tiếng Anh khơng? 88 APPENDIX C INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS Extract 1: Researcher (R), Student (S1) R: Do you like to learn English? S1: Yes R: Why are you studying English? S1: Um … Because English is a compulsory subject for our curriculum, if we cannot pass this subject, we will not be able to graduate Furthermore, I would like to take part in activities in English classes with my classmates without and scare or hesitance R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S1: Yes, maybe… For understanding the English terms in the specialized subjects in the following academic years during the whole course in the university and most employers prefer applicants who have good English skills R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S1: Oh, I have to learn English harder because I think English will support me when I pursue higher education R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S1: Very important Because English is indispensable instrument in working and communicating with foreign partners Besides, it also helps us to keep up with the development of the world through reading and understanding how to use high technology and the Internet 89 R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S1: That’s sound interesting I have never thought about this idea when learning English Making friends with international friends is a good idea in improving language skills much faster and more effectively than learning through textbooks, even learning a lot of interesting things from them I will try Extract 2: Researcher (R), Student (S2) R: Do you like to learn English? S2: A little R: Why are you studying English? S2: Um … Because it is one of my obligatory subjects that I need to complete R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S2: Yes, of course … As I have mentioned every student will not be able to graduate without passing English course Besides, English can assist me to understand English articles and materials in my major R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S2: Oh, I must go on learning English in the future for my job opportunities even I will have finished my compulsory two Basic English courses in my curriculum R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S2: Yes English is very popular nowadays; the job market also requires 90 English ability and relevant English certificates Everywhere, priority is given to people who are good at English, if they are good at English, their job opportunities will be more than those not know English R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S2: No I think it’s not necessary, but if I have time, I will try Extract 3: Researcher (R), Student (S3) R: Do you like to learn English? S3: I quite like English R: Why are you studying English? S3: Um … I have to learn English to meet the requirement of my curriculum R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S3: Yes, of course … We need English to be able to graduate To be honest, I will be more idolized by the girls in my class because of my good English R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S3: Yes, of course … English is an international language and very popular now, if you don’t know English, you will be left behind Especially, when technology is more and more developed, you need to know English to use technology and surf the web R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? 91 S3: Definitely yes! English will increase your winnings and create more chances in work and life In addition, it also helps you build many relationships in society that may facilitates your future promotion R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S3: I want to exchange cultures and experience direct communication with native speakers to improve my English skills Extract 4: Researcher (R), Student (S4) R: Do you like to learn English? S4: Yes I love learning English R: Why are you studying English? S4: I learn English because I would love to read English stories or to watch movies in English without subtitles Sometimes translation can change the content and drama of the plot in books and movies In particular, I don't like watching films and reading subtitles at the same time because it will be hard to follow the story of the movie Oh, instead of taking English courses, you can improve your English by communicating regularly with foreign friends through social networking sites, participating in social activities, working in English environment, reading English books, and watching English movies as I R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S4: Yes, of course … Everyone should learn English Because if you want to have a stable and developed job, you need to have English R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two 92 General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S4: Yes, of course … I want to know more about this language and its people and culture is really interesting R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S4: Definitely yes! English is the "language of business", a tool to assert yourself You can use it to plan and generate ideas as well as find potential customers Therefore, if you want to get good treatment in the business, you need to have fluent English skills R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S4: Yes, it helps us practice communication skills with foreigners and expand our knowledge when knowing more about the cultures and lifestyles of many countries around the world Extract 5: Researcher (R), Student (S5) R: Do you like to learn English? S5: I am not very fond of it R: Why are you studying English? S5: I’m learning English to graduate and to meet the recruitment needs R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S5: Everyone must learn English R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? 93 S5: Yes, of course … I want to have better English skills due to its important role in my future study and life I have to improve my English skills because my main purpose is to graduate from school and get a good job However, what I have learnt at university is not enough, so I need to learn more R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S5: Of course, having English will make it easier to get a job, if I have good English skills, I may get a well-paid job or probably work oversea R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S5: Why not? This way of experiencing reality is many times more effective than what you learn in school through books Extract 6: Researcher (R), Student (S6) R: Do you like to learn English? S6: Definitely! R: Why are you studying English? S6: English helps me have a better job, when communicating, I feel cooler One of my classmates could speak English very well, I desire that one day I could use English as fluently and confidently as him, so I will learn English harder and harder Besides, English will help me shorten the time to fulfill my passion for worldwide travel R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S6: I’m not sure It depends on the individuals’ goals As for me, I will 94 study to raise my level and value R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S6: Certainly… for my higher study and my future job R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S6: Absolutely Because my major is Chemical Engineering Technology so I have to read and study a lot of English materials to prepare for working, communicate with foreign partners or even have international business trips R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S6: Yes, communicate more with native speakers will help us quickly improve language skills and develop social knowledge Extract 7: Researcher (R), Student (S7) R: Do you like to learn English? S7: A thousand times, yes I really like learning English R: Why are you studying English.? S7: Because knowing a foreign language is learning a new culture I also would like to discover new things, gain more new experience and meet different people in new societies R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S7: Yes Because English necessary for learning or working in the future 95 R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S7: Yes, of course … Because English language is still large, a lot of knowledge that I have not learned, so it is a good thing to continue learning English R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S7: Absolutely Because my major is Social Work and I have to communicate a lot, English is an indispensable thing in my future career R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S7: Yes, I want to know more about the cultures and people in the world Extract 8: Researcher (R), Student (S8) R: Do you like to learn English? S8: Yes I find learning English interesting R: Why are you studying English? S8: Because it’s my required subject and modern society needs English R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S8: Yes Because English is not only for learning or working, it is also a tool to help develop yourself and improve your own understanding I also don’t feel pleased to be left behind in my English class due to my poor English R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? 96 S8: I will continue to learn English because nowadays, we are living in the era of globalization, so if we don’t know English, it becomes difficult to apply for any good jobs As a result, I learn English to fulfill the language requirements in job market Learning English well will be advantageous to my future job- Literature- Journalism & Media Furthermore, English makes me feel more confident to make decisions to travel to foreign countries R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S8: Absolutely I believe that if I can use English proficiently, I will get a job with high salary R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S8: Well, that a great way to practice my English and provide a useful source of information for my learning Extract 9: Researcher (R), Student (S9) R: Do you like to learn English? S9: Not really English is really too difficult and complicated R: Why are you studying English? S9: Because it is a compulsory subject R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S9: No When studying any major, you should focus on learning the specialty of that major to avoid distractions to increase the efficiency R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? 97 S9: No Because I want to spend more time on other things R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S9: No I just want to work in Vietnam so I don't need much English R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S9: Not necessarily Extract 10: Researcher (R), Student 10 (S10) R: Do you like to learn English? S10: Yes, of course R: Why are you studying English? S10: Because it is a compulsory subject and English is a useful tool for everyone R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English majors should learn English? Why/Why not? S10: Yes, every student has to learn English seriously Because it is not only a compulsory subject in school but it also helps in the future study and work Moreover, for my further study, I think I should learn English harder to understand well the English technical terms and materials needed for my major- Food Technology Oh,… I don’t want to inferior to my friends Honestly, if they can communicate in English, I can too R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S10: Yes, of course … Having English, work and life will be more convenient and developed 98 R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S10: Definitely yes R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S10: I really love being able to talk with foreigners if I have chances I think that will be a good way to practice English and improve my pronunciation Extract 11: Researcher (R), Student 11 (S11) R: Do you like to learn English? S11: No I don’t like learning English R: Why are you studying English? S11: Because it is a compulsory subject and English is quite difficult to learn R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S11: Yes It is useful for me to know a foreign language, especially when my future job needs it R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S11: No Since there are almost no more subjects in the curriculum related to English However, I will continue learn it if my future job require R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? 99 S11: No English is not much used in my future career R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S11: No Because in my profession, very few English words are used, so it is not necessary and there are not many opportunities to interact with foreigners Extract 12: Researcher (R), Student 12 (S12) R: Do you like to learn English? S12: Yes I really like learning English R: Why are you studying English? S12: It gives me many opportunities at work, helps me approach new knowledge and expand my understanding R: Do you think Vietnamese non-English major students should learn English? Why/Why not? S12: Yes Because it will be useful for any jobs R: Would you like to continue to learn English after you finish two General English courses or after graduating? Why/Why not? S12: Yes, of course … I want English to be my second language and with my current level, I still want and continue to conquer it Moreover, if I am good at English, I can help the neighborhood children when they ask for my help with their English school work R: Do you think English is important for your future job opportunities/ future career? Why/Why not? S12: Yes, I am studing English for my future job My major is Vietnamese Studies - Tourism Culture, most of the lectures and documents 100 are written in Vietnamese However, I want to become an international tour guide so I need English to read more tourism materials in English Currently, English is more vital than compulsory If I have a high level of English, I believe that there will be more opportunities to work with foreigners or work in diplomatic agencies and international organizations Consequently, my salary will be higher and my remuneration policy will be better That is the reason why I always want to improve my English skills more R: Do you want to make friends with a native speaker of English to practice your English and to know more about their lifestyle, culture and art? Why/Why not? S12: Of course, I truly hope that I will have more chance to meet and directly interact to them in English Oh, I have already made friends with some foreigners on Facebook and Instagram They are very friendly and willing to answer my questions Thanks to them, I now have had more knowledge about their lifestyle and some interesting legends related to their countries