Attitudes to English and motivation to continue learning English in a tertiary education setting

Visnja Kabalin Borenic

Authors

Visnja Kabalin Borenic University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business

Abstract

This study investigates attitudes toward English, the primary language of international communication, and motivation of intermediate and advanced speakers of English required to pursue Business English as part of their university studies. Moreover, the study aims to establish the correlations between attitudes to English, different types of motivation and invested effort as a criterion related to motivated behaviour. Implications for teaching are finally provided on the basis of correlation and hierarchical regression analyses. Approximately 700 Croatian students of business and economics responded to a questionnaire based on earlier sociolinguistic (Erling, 2004; 2007) and L2 motivation research in the socio-psychological tradition (Dörnyei et al., 2006; Mihaljević-Djigunović, 1998). Descriptive and inferential analyses (factor, correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses) of the collected data revealed a positive attitude to English as a lingua franca alongside a preference for native English varieties. The perception of English as a threat was weak among our respondents. As regards motivational dimensions, the sample was characterised by integrative and two types of instrumental motivation: future benefits and past/present benefits. Although a positive attitude to English as a lingua franca positively correlated with invested effort, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that effort could only be predicted on the basis of integrative motivation and experienced benefits. Generally speaking, the findings provide insights into attitudes and motivation of students of English for specific purposes in contexts where opportunities to use English for academic and professional purposes are limited.

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Author Biography

Visnja Kabalin Borenic, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Economics and Business

Senior lecturer

Department of Business Foreign Languages

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