Motivation And Attitudes Of Iranian Undergraduate EFL Students Towards Learning English
Abstract
This paper investigated the various socio-psychological orientations of Iranian undergraduates towards learning English. It focused on the motivation orientations of the students and their attitudes towards the target language and its community. A group of 108 students majoring in English translation at Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch in Isfahan, Iran was surveyed using the AMTB (Attitude, Motivation Test Battery). The domains used for the purposes of the study were: a) interest in English, b) parental encouragement, c) motivational intensity, d) attitudes towards learning English, e) attitudes towards English-speaking people, f) integrative orientation, g) desire to learn English, and h) instrumental orientation. The results revealed that these Iranian Non-native speakers of English learn the language for both ‘instrumental’ and 'integrative' reasons and their attitudes towards the target language community and its members were generally found to be highly positive. The paper also reported some micro and macro implications of the study.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Al-Tamimi, A. & Munir Shuib (2009). Motivation and attitudes towards learning English: a study of petroleum engineering undergraduates at Hadhramout University of sciences and technology. GEMA Online™ Journal of Language Studies, 9(2), 29-55.
Ausubel, D. A. (1968). Educational psychology: A cognitive view. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Baker, C. (1988). Key issues in bilingualism and bilingual education. Multilingual Matters 35. Clevedon, Avon: England
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of language learning and teaching, 5th edition. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education Inc.
Bruner, J. (1966). Toward a theory of instruction. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts.
De Bot, K., Lowie, W. & Verspoor, M. (2005). Second language acquisition: An advanced resource book. London: Routledge.
Dörnyei, Z. (1998). Motivation in second and foreign language learning. Language Teaching 31, 117-35.
Fasold, R. (1984). The sociolinguistics of society. Oxford: Blackwell.
Gardner, R. C. & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second-language learning. Rowley, Mass: Newbury House.
Gardner, R. C. & MacIntyre, P. D. (1993). A student's contributions to second language learning. Part II: Affective variables. Language Teaching, 26, 1-11.
Gardner, R.C. (1985). Social psychology and language learning: The role of attitudes and motivation. London: Edward Arnold.
Graham, C. R. (1984). Beyond integrative motivation: The development and influence of assimilative motivation. Paper presented at TESOL. Houston, Texas.
Hamp-Lyons, E. (1983). Motivation for learning English as a world language: Integrative and instrumental. World Englishes, 2(3), 145-149.
König, G. (2006). Orientation, motivation and attitudes of Turkish university students learning a second foreign language. Zeitschrift für Interkulturellen Fremdsprachenunterricht Abrufbar unter. (Online) Retrieved 1 January, 2009 from http://www.ualberta.ca/~german/ ejournal/ Koenig6.htm
Lambert, W. (1963). Psychological approaches to the study of language. Modern Language Journal. 47, 51-62.
Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper and Row.
Moiinvaziri, M. (2008). Motivational orientation in English language learning: A study of Iranian undergraduate students. Global practices of language teaching. Proceedings of International Online Language Conference (IOLC). Universal-publishers. Boca Raton, Florida, US, 126-135.
Oxford, R. & Shearin, J. (1994). Language learning motivation: Expanding the theoretical framework. The Modern Language Journal, 78, I. 12-28.
Prodromou, L. (1992). What culture? Which culture? Cross-cultural factors in language learning. ELT Journal, 46(1), 39-50.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80.
Vaezi, Z. (2008). Language learning motivation among Iranian undergraduate students. World Applied Sciences Journal, 5(1), 54-61.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
eISSN : 2550-2131
ISSN : 1675-8021