Attitudes and Motivation of Afghan Students toward Learning English

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-33
Author(s):  
Zabihullah Alimyar
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Learning English

AbstractThis study investigated Afghan students’ attitudes and motivation toward learning English at six different universities in Afghanistan. Several factors were believed to influence their success in learning English (i.e., motivation types as a major factor together with variables, such as gender, grades, fields of study, parental/teacher involvement, language learning anxiety and academic achievement). In searching for a reliable attitudinal profile of the subjects, quantitative research methodology was adopted along with mixed research techniques. The data was collected from 457 university students (273 male and 184 female) and 12 university EFL teachers through questionnaires and interviews. The findings showed that most of the Afghan university students held a positive attitude toward learning English and they were highly influenced by three types of motivation (i.e., instrumental, integrative, and intrinsic). Significant differences were found in the attitudes of students in terms of their fields of study, grades, and language learning anxiety. Interestingly, the findings also showed that some students were demotivated to learn EFL due to the propagation that English will no longer widely be used if NATO and US forces leave Afghanistan. It is suggested that EFL teachers should adopt motivational strategies in their classes to develop students’ positive attitudes and enhance their motivation toward learning EFL.

scholarly journals Foreign language learning anxiety: A comparison between high school and university students

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 1584
Author(s):  
Gökhan Baş ◽  
Mehmet Özcan
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Monthly Income ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Anxiety Levels ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety

This research aimed to identify the differences in foreign language learning (FLL) anxiety levels between high school and university students based on some variables such as gender, current educational status, parents’ (father and mother) educational status, and monthly income of families.  The survey model was adopted in the research.  The research included high school (n = 333) and university (n = 341) students from Nigde and Afyonkarahisar provinces. In the research, “Foreign Language Learning Anxiety Scale” (FLLAS) was used in order to collect data. For the analyses of the data, independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were performed. The results of the research indicated that gender, fathers’ educational status and monthly income of family variables did not have a significant impact on foreign language anxiety levels of high school and university students. It was also found that students’ educational status as well as their mothers’ educational status variables influenced their FLL anxiety significantly.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Motivational Strategies in EFL Classrooms and Learners’ Attitudes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shatha Abdulrahman Altalhi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Efl Classrooms ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Mixed Approach

This study reports on EFL teachers’ personal beliefs regarding motivational strategies, and details how teachers apply motivational strategies in the EFL Saudi classrooms. A discussion is included about the extent to which motivational strategies influence EFL learners’ attitudes toward language learning, because of the need of using motivational strategies in EFL classrooms at Taif university, this research used a mixed approach research design, and accordingly, the researcher used one questionnaire that was adapted Dornyie & Cheng (2007) to ask about eighteen teachers’ beliefs concerning motivational strategies and used a similar questionnaire with 150 first-year students to evaluate how their teachers apply the motivational strategies in the EFL classroom. Students’ attitudes toward L2 learning were further measured by another adapted questionnaire of Eshghinejad (2016). Also, 10 students divided to high and low achievement were interviewed to provide in-depth investigation and to seek reliable results. The findings revealed that the EFL teachers believed in and used motivational strategies in their classrooms. In addition, there was a statistically significant correlation between what they believe and what they practice. From the data on learners’ attitudes, results reflected that the students have positive attitudes toward language learning especially in the emotional aspects. The interviews revealed that high and low achieving students reported positive attitudes to the behavioral and cognitive aspects, while they showed little to the emotional aspects of language learning.

Coping Strategies of Taiwanese University Students as Predictors of English Language Learning Anxiety

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po-Chi Kao ◽  
Philip Craigie
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Coping Strategy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Positive Thinking ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety

In this study we examined which coping strategies could predict anxiety about learning English as a foreign language. Our participants were 120 Taiwanese university students who completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope, 1986) and the modified version (Marwan, 2007) of the Foreign Language Anxiety Coping Scale (Kondo & Yang, 2004). The results showed that positive thinking was the coping strategy that the participants used most often when they were experiencing foreign language learning anxiety. Use of the coping strategy of positive thinking was also the strongest predictor of all coping variables of a lower level of foreign language learning anxiety. The results also revealed that resignation contributed to higher levels of foreign language learning anxiety than did use of other coping strategies. Results in the current study have implications for both teachers and students to become more aware of the relative efficacy of different coping strategies.

scholarly journals Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of Motivational Strategies in EFL Classrooms and Learners’ Attitudes

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-70
Author(s):  
Shatha Abdulrahman Altalhi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Efl Classrooms ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Mixed Approach

This study reports on EFL teachers’ personal beliefs regarding motivational strategies, and details how teachers apply motivational strategies in the EFL Saudi classrooms. A discussion is included about the extent to which motivational strategies influence EFL learners’ attitudes toward language learning, because of the need of using motivational strategies in EFL classrooms at Taif university, this research used a mixed approach research design, and accordingly, the researcher used one questionnaire that was adapted Dornyie & Cheng (2007) to ask about eighteen teachers’ beliefs concerning motivational strategies and used a similar questionnaire with 150 first-year students to evaluate how their teachers apply the motivational strategies in the EFL classroom. Students’ attitudes toward L2 learning were further measured by another adapted questionnaire of Eshghinejad (2016). Also, 10 students divided to high and low achievement were interviewed to provide in-depth investigation and to seek reliable results. The findings revealed that the EFL teachers believed in and used motivational strategies in their classrooms. In addition, there was a statistically significant correlation between what they believe and what they practice. From the data on learners’ attitudes, results reflected that the students have positive attitudes toward language learning especially in the emotional aspects. The interviews revealed that high and low achieving students reported positive attitudes to the behavioral and cognitive aspects, while they showed little to the emotional aspects of language learning.

Gender Differences in Strategies for Coping with Foreign Language Learning Anxiety

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-210
Author(s):  
Po-Chi Kao ◽  
Kate Tzu-Ching Chen ◽  
Philip Craigie
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Positive Thinking ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Courses

We investigated gender and differences in level of anxiety in regard to use of coping strategies for foreign language learning anxiety (FLLA). Participants were 122 Taiwanese university students enrolled in English as a foreign language courses. Results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that the female students scored significantly higher than did the male students in two coping strategies: peer seeking and positive thinking. In contrast, the male students were more inclined to use relaxation as a way of coping. There was no difference between the groups with different levels of anxiety in their choice of coping strategies and no interaction effect between gender and anxiety level in the coping strategies used. Results thus showed that gender played a significant role in university students' choice of strategies to cope with FLLA.

The Attitudes of University Students of Batubara in Medan Towards Batubara Malay Language

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julisah Izar ◽  
Siti Aisah Ginting
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The University ◽  
Key Words Attitudes ◽  
Bahasa Indonesia

This study dealt with the attitudes of university students of Batubara towards Batubara Malay language. The data were collected from 20 university students of Batubara in Medan. The instruments used for collecting the data were observation sheet, questionnaire sheet and depth interview. The data were analyzed by Moleong’s theory. The findings showed that the respondents’ attitudes were: 12 (60%) negative and 8 (40%) positive. The attitudes levels of university students included in negative and positive attitudes namely in: receiving 11 (55%) negative and 9 (45%) positive, responding 12 (60%) negative and 8 positive, valuing 10 (50%) negative and 10 (50%)  positive,  organizing 12 (60%) positive and 8 (40%) negative, and internalizing values 12 (60%) negative and 8 (40%) positive. The factors influenced the university students’ attitudes were language disloyalty 12 (60%) negative and 8 (40%) positive, language pride lack 14 (70%) negative and 7 (30%) positive, in the unawareness of the norms 11 (55%) negative and 9 (45%) positive. Bahasa Indonesia is dominantly spoken by the university students of Batubara in Medan which caused they have less frequency in using their Batubara Malay language with their friends who are from same region in Medan. Key words: Attitudes, University Students of Batubara, Batubara Malay Language

scholarly journals The Effect of Using Flipped Classroom Model on Libyan University Students' English Learning

2018 ◽  
pp. 64-84
Author(s):  
Mustafa Braiek ◽  
Abdulhamid Onaiba ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Learning English

This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of using flipped classroom model on learning English as a foreign language and students’ attitudes towards flipped classroom. The sample of study consisted of 31 students at Faculty of Arts, Misurata University. The participants were divided into two groups: 16 students for the experimental group and 15 students for the control group. The data collection tools used in this study were an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) test and a questionnaire to explore students’ attitudes towards flipped classroom. Participants in both groups were pre-tested using the EFL test before the experiment. Then, the experimental group was taught using flipped classroom strategy while the control group was taught using the traditional teaching method. After the experiment, students in both groups were post-tested using the EFL test while the questionnaire was administered to the students of the experimental group only. The results of the study showed that applying the strategy of the flipped classroom had a significant effect in increasing the students’ performances in learning English. The questionnaire responses showed positive attitudes regarding the use of flipped teaching.

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