Students' Motivation in an EFL Reading Class

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54855/ictep.23310

Keywords:

student motivation, attitudes, reading, engagement

Abstract

Students' motivation in EFL reading classes is typically low, but little research on students' motivation in EFL reading instruction has been done in Vietnam. There is an open-ended question to solicit the students' suggestions on how to increase their motivation and involvement in learning reading. This research is a case study examining the students' motivation for learning reading in an English-major class (n=34). The tool was adapted from Dörnyei's (2005, 2009) questionnaire of the L2 motivational self system, including ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, instrumentality-promotion and instrumentality-prevention, their attitudes, self-confidence, and intended effort toward learning reading. The findings revealed that the ideal L2 self was identified as the highest motivation, followed by instrumentality-promotion and instrumentality-prevention. Most of the students expressed positive attitudes and relatively high levels of confidence and effort in their learning reading. Finally, the paper offers several recommendations for boosting students' motivation and engagement in reading instructions.

Author Biography

Le Thi Tuyet Minh, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), Vietnam

Le Thi Tuyet Minh is an English lecturer at UEH University, HCMC City, Vietnam. She holds an M.A. in TESOL. Her main interests are promoting students' motivation and application of ICT.

 

References

Al-Hoorie, A. H. (2018). The L2 motivational self system: A meta-analysis. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 8(4),721-754. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.4.2

Dao, T.T.N. (2019). The effects of the visionary motivational process on ideal L2 self and enhancement in reading and writings kills of Vietnamese undergraduate students [Doctoral dissertation, Assumption University]. https://repository.au.edu/bitstream/6623004553/24039/2/AU-Dissertation-Fulltext-24039.pdf

Dörnyei, Z. (2005). Motivation and Self-Motivation. The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 65-118.

Dörnyei, Z. (2009). The L2 Motivational Self System. In: Do¨rnyei, Z. &Ushioda, E. (Eds.), Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self, 9-42. Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Gardner, R. C., & MacIntyre, P. D. (1991). An instrumentality motivation in language study: who says it isn't effective?. SSLA, 13, 57-72.

Gonzales, R. DLC. (2010). Motivational orientation in foreign language learning: The case of Filipino foreign language learners. TESOL, 3, 3-28.

Gorsuch, G. & Taguchi, E. (2008). Repeated Reading for Developing Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension: The case of EFL learners in Vietnam. System, 36(2), 253-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2007.09.009

Khau, A. H., & Thach, L. P. (2021). Motivation in Foreign Language Classrooms at Tertiary Level: A Case Study. Vietnam Journal of Education, 5(2), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2021.72

Ngo, Thu Huong (2015). An investigation into students' motivation to learn English in higher education in Vietnam [Doctoral dissertation, Queensland University of Technology]. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/84470/

Nguyen, T. S. (2020). The Impact of Individualizing Tasks on Reading Motivation and Practices of University-Age Vietnamese Non-Majored EFL Learners. Journal of Science and Technology, 48(6). https://doi.org/10.46242/jst-iuh.v48i6.1608

Nguyen, T. T. N. (2022). The effects of task-based instruction on reading comprehension of non-English major students at a university in the Mekong Delta. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(4), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22241

Oxford, R., & Shearin, J. (1994). Language learning motivation: Expanding the theoretical framework. The Modern Language Journal, 78(1), 12-28.

Papi, M. (2010). The L2 motivational self system, L2 anxiety, and motivated behavior: A structural equation modeling approach. System, 38, 467-479.

Phan, Thi Thanh Hang (2011). Factors affecting the motivation of Vietnamese technical English majors in their English studies [Doctoral dissertation, University of Otago]. http://hdl.handle.net/10523/652

Pham, U. M. N. (2021). The Effects of Reading Habits on Reading Comprehension among EFL Students at Van Lang University. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(2), 15–44. Retrieved from https://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/19

Roshandel, J., Ghonsoolt, B. & Ghanizadeh, A. (2018). L2 Motivational Self-System and Self-Efficacy: A Quantitative Survey Based Study. International Journal of Instruction, 11 (1), pp.329-344.

Tan, T. G., Lim, T.H., & Hoe, F.T. (2017). Analyzing the Relationship between L2 Motivational Self System and Achievement in Mandarin. International Academic Research Journal of Social Science, 3(1), 104-108.

Trinh, Q.L. & Ha, D. T. (2017). The Effect of Task-Based Learning on E.F. Students' Learning Reading: A Case Study in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Studies in English Language Teaching, 5(1),34-48. https://doi.org/10.22158/selt.v5n1p34

Downloads

Published

27-03-2023

How to Cite

Le, T. T. M. (2023). Students’ Motivation in an EFL Reading Class. ICTE Conference Proceedings, 3, 127–136. https://doi.org/10.54855/ictep.23310

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.