Motivation and students’ attitudes are generally cited as two of the most important factors influencing language-learning performance. Motivation and attitude not only enhance students’ understanding of learning and make them more open to learning, but also raise their expectations of the learning process and lower their anxiety. Therefore, the current study sought to establish the university students’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies and their attitudes towards the English language, and the English Academic module. The study was quantitative in nature and a survey research design was followed. A questionnaire was used to solicit data from 150 first-year Foundation students who were conveniently selected. Likert items were used to measure the respondents’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies and their attitudes toward the English Language and English Academic module. To analyse data, the most frequent responses are considered by working out percentages that agree, disagree, etc. The findings showed that the students perceived their lecturers as using a range of motivational strategies. These include, but are not limited to, allowing students to ask questions, providing feedback, motivating students to read more material, and praising students for good learning behaviour. The findings further revealed that the majority of students had a positive attitude towards the English language and English Academic module. Lecturers’ motivational strategies and students’ attitudes towards the English language and English Academic module could be perceived as significant considerations for lecturers when they tailor instruction and module design to the needs of the students. In addition, lecturers’ awareness of students’ attitudes can serve as vital information that could be used as a springboard to change the students’ attitudes for the better.
In South Africa, the postapartheid government that came to power in 1994 inherited an inequitable and unjust education system whose expression included preferential access to education. Therefore, the new democratic government identified education as one of the key areas in need of transformation, and that move meant that all South Africans would have the same right to education. Applauding the move, Fiske and Ladd (
In the institution where the current study was conducted, the English major and an academic English module were offered. Both modules were characterised by a high failure and dropout rate. The authors of this article and other lecturers were concerned about this situation, especially when they considered the crucial role played by the English language in South African universities. For example, Web (
Previous research reveals that foreign or second-language learning is influenced by many factors including, but not limited to, motivation, attitudes, anxiety, learning success, aptitudes, intelligence, age and personality (Shams
Considerable research on lecturers’ motivational strategies and students’ attitudes towards the English language has been conducted in many countries like Saudi Arabia (Alkaff
What are students’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies?
What are students’ attitudes towards the English language and the academic English module?
Motivation plays an essential role in the success of second-language teaching and learning as it is the driving force to keep processes going (Erdil-Moody & Thompson
Some researchers observed that motivational strategies vary in their effectiveness and appropriateness in different ESL or English as a first language (EFL) contexts (Cheng & Dornyei
Xue (
Attitude has been defined in different ways by different authors. Chapman and McKnight (
As is evident from the previous discussion, a student’s attitude could influence the language acquisition process. Subsequently, many studies have been conducted to examine student attitudes towards second-language learning in South Africa and other countries around the world. For instance, Shams (
In a South African context, Lombard (
The implication of these studies is that teachers’ awareness of the students’ attitudes towards a language they are supposed to learn is important for instruction, material design and module content. Teachers’ awareness of the students’ attitudes towards the language they learn in the classroom is likely to give teachers the opportunity to work towards changing the students’ attitudes if they are negative. In the above section, it was revealed that positive attitudes towards language breed positive learning outcomes.
Many studies have been conducted that sought to investigate students’ attitudes towards academic English modules. Erarslan (
In a South African context, Wood and Lithauer (
The focus of the studies discussed above was the enrolments and academic performance of students in the Foundation Programmes. Therefore, the current study differs from these studies as it aims to examine students’ perceptions of the motivational strategies of the lecturers and their attitudes towards the English language and the academic English module. Based on the reviewed literature, few studies have focused on this combination of concepts.
This study followed a quantitative approach, and a survey design was used. Bhandari (2020) defines quantitative data as the process of collecting and analysing numerical data. He further points out that quantitative data can be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causal relationships and generalise results to a wider population. In the current study, the authors felt that the quantitative approach was relevant because it allowed the researchers to reach a large sample size in an attempt to assess the students’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies and their attitudes towards the variables already mentioned. Bartlett (
The respondents were enrolled for a 4-year extended (Foundation Programme) Bachelor of Arts degree. They were the first-year Foundation Programme students at a university in South Africa, Gauteng province. Students who enrol for the Foundation Programme are those students who did not meet the undergraduate (Bachelor of Arts) admission requirements. The respondents were African students, both male and female. A total of 382 students were expected to participate; however, only 150 (39.27%) students (58 male and 92 female) participated in this investigation. The low return rate means that a sample instead of the population was used in this study. It was convenient for the researchers to use only the Foundation Programme students in this study, because one of the researchers had direct access to them and they could be reached relatively easily. The students were thoroughly informed of the study details via e-mail. Convenience sampling was used for this research. Convenience sampling refers to a sample chosen based on convenience of the researcher (Acharya et al.
A questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire was used in this study because it provided a relatively cheap, quick and efficient way of obtaining large amounts of information from a large sample of people. Data can be collected relatively quickly because the researcher would not need to be present when the questionnaires were completed. The structure of the questionnaire consisted of three variables:
Variable A, the students’ perceptions about their lecturers’ motivational strategies. Six options were used to test this variable.
Variable B, the academic English module students’ attitudes about the English language. Eight options were used to test this variable.
Variable C, the students’ attitudes about the academic English module. Six options were used to test this variable.
A questionnaire that used a Likert scale was used. A Likert scale is a set of statements offered for the real hypothetical situation under study (Joshi et al.
The data analysis was performed with the assistance of the Department of Statistics at the university by means of using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS; IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York, United States). The analysed data were visually displayed in tables using frequencies and percentage scores, whereafter they were summarised with data descriptions and interpretations.
The following is the presentation of the interpretation of the quantitative data. The order of presentation is informed by the order of the research questions. For example, the first research question focuses on the students’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies. This data is presented first.
Students’ perceptions of lecturers’ motivational strategies.
Item | SA (%) | A (%) | NS (%) | D (%) | SD (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
It is important to get feedback from my lecturer. | 33 | 35 | 11 | 13 | 8 |
It is important to me that my lecturer should motivate me to learn. | 52 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 |
My lecturer gives us an opportunity to ask questions. | 61 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
My lecturer encourages me to read more. | 41 | 18 | 23 | 11 | 7 |
I feel good when my lecturer praises me. | 52 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 5 |
It is important to be motivated to improve my English proficiency by my lecturer. | 39 | 31 | 18 | 6 | 5 |
SA, strongly agree; A, agree; NS, not sure; D, disagree; SD, strongly disagree.
With regard to the lecturers’ motivation,
With regard to the lecturers’ ability to encourage students to read,
Fifty-two per cent of the respondents strongly agreed that they feel good when their lecturer praises them, and 25% agreed with the statement. Only 5% of them strongly disagreed on the issue and appeared not to care whether they are praised. It is clear that praising the students might yield good results as far as English language learning is concerned. When students are praised for their good behaviour, they demonstrate enthusiasm that makes them to work hard to achieve more. It is also good for them to see that their efforts are acknowledged.
Students’ attitudes towards the English language.
Item | SA (%) | A (%) | NS (%) | D (%) | SD (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I think that English is the most important language. | 5 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 5 |
English language proficiency is important for my career prospects. | 44 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 10 |
English is important because it is used in job interviews. | 44 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 13 |
I want to be proficient in English in order to socialise with a variety of people. | 46 | 5 | 22 | 6 | 5 |
I cannot be successful at university if my English proficiency is lacking. | 44 | 17 | 19 | 5 | 5 |
I like people who can speak English very well. | 43 | 26 | 20 | 3 | 8 |
I do not like people who do not speak English well. | 8 | 9 | 18 | 16 | 50 |
I want to speak English like a mother tongue speaker. | 7 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 11 |
SA, strongly agree; A, agree; NS, not sure; D, disagree; SD, strongly disagree.
With regard to the importance of English language proficiency, 44% strongly agreed and 18% agreed. Only 5% strongly disagreed. It can therefore be concluded that the respondents who agreed that English language proficiency is important for their career are extrinsically motivated. They are aware of people whose career choices were supported by English language proficiency. This is true in a South African context where the English language dominates as a lingua franca and language of business and government.
A total of 44% of the respondents agreed that English proficiency is important for job interviews and 17% agreed with the statement. This view could be attributed to the fact that English is the language that is used most in job interviews in South Africa. However, 10% of the respondents disagreed that English is important for job interviews. The prospects of a good job that requires English language proficiency could also motivate students to do well in English in order to enhance their chances of impressing the panel when they are being interviewed for a job.
Almost half the respondents (that is, 46%) agreed that they wanted to be proficient in English in order to socialise with ease with a variety of people. This is true given the multilingual nature of South Africa. Only 6% of the respondents disagreed with the statement. It is important for individuals to socialise for the sake of internal satisfaction. Internal satisfaction is linked to intrinsic motivation. The satisfaction that a student derives from his or her successful interaction with peers in English language learning situations may influence his or her attitude towards the target language. When students are in a learning environment, they have a need to socialise with fellow schoolmates. An ability to communicate effectively in English at the university is an advantage because students come from diverse environments.
Regarding to whether the respondents like people who can speak English very well, 43% strongly agreed with the statement while 26% of them agreed. Twenty percent took a neutral position in this regard. Students could have a positive attitude towards English mother tongue speakers and people who speak English very well for instrumental reasons (for example, to improve their vocabulary in order to perform better academically) but not necessarily for integrative reasons.
Only 7% of the respondents agreed that they want to speak English like a mother tongue speaker, while 14% agreed with the statement. Twelve per cent of the respondents chose to be neutral. It could be concluded that students were aware of the fact that speaking a language like a mother tongue is an unobtainable goal for second-language speakers. This could also be attributed to the fact that the respondents did not want to lose their identities.
Students’ attitudes towards the academic English module.
Item | SA (%) | A (%) | NS (%) | D (%) | SD (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EAP enables me to do well in my other subjects. | 44 | 27 | 19 | 5 | 5 |
EAP is my favourite module because it helps me to understand other subjects. | 57 | 21 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
I do not care whether or not I pass the EAP module. | 19 | 19 | 29 | 19 | 14 |
I enjoy the EAP module very much. | 57 | 21 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
The EAP is my favourite module. | 17 | 15 | 26 | 24 | 18 |
EAP is a waste of time. | 16 | 16 | 26 | 24 | 18 |
EAP, English for academic purposes; SA, strongly agree; A, agree; NS, not sure; D, disagree; SD, strongly disagree.
With regard to academic English being a favourite subject, 57% strongly agreed while 20% agreed with the statement. Only 4% disagreed with the statement. The majority of the respondents agree that the academic English module is their favourite module, because English is used as the medium of instruction in the other subjects. Because English is used as the medium of instruction in other subjects, a sound comprehension of the language makes it easy for students to understand the subject matter or content of all their subjects.
Regarding to the respondents not caring whether or not they pass English for academic purposes (EAP), 29% of the respondents indicated that they were neutral in this regard, i.e. they were not sure whether they cared about passing the academic English module or not. Nineteen per cent of the respondents indicated that they did not care whether they passed the module, while 29% of the respondents indicated that they disagreed with the statement and 19% agreed. It is therefore questionable why most of the respondents would be neutral on this issue while in the above statements many students indicated EAP as a favourite subject.
Slightly more than half of the respondents (56%) were of the opinion that they enjoyed the academic English module very much, whereas 15% of the respondents disagreed with the statement and 21% were neutral towards it. Enjoying the module is supposed to be one of the main factors that contribute towards the students’ motivation.
Twenty-four per cent of the respondents indicated that they did not consider the academic English module to be a waste of time, while 16% thought that it is. Twenty-six per cent of the respondents took a neutral position in this regard. This finding gives some support to the fact that the learning of academic English is not considered a waste of time.
The aim of the study was to explore university students’ perceptions about their lecturers’ motivational strategies and their attitudes towards the English language and an academic English module at a South African university. The results of this research indicated that students’ perceptions of their lecturers’ motivational strategies were that their lecturers did motivate them in class. Specifically, the majority of students indicated that their lecturers granted them opportunities to ask questions. The students viewed this as the most important motivational strategy teachers used. It is clear that involving students in class is a form of motivation. This is important as they get the opportunity to ask questions for clarity. Allowing students to ask questions is a good motivational strategy for both teachers and students. When students ask questions, the teacher is likely to be in a better position to check if students understood the content presented. By asking questions, the teacher is able to guide the students if the content is misunderstood. In other words, by allowing students to ask questions, lecturers can use that diagnostic opportunity. This finding is in line with the results of a study conducted by Harmer (
Another strategy that lecturers were perceived using by students is praise. Students expressed satisfaction and motivation when their lecturers praised them for good learning behaviour in class. This served as motivation, and students worked hard in order to sustain the good behaviour. Feedback was also cited as a good motivational strategy. When lecturers give constructive, timely feedback, that is seen as motivation by students. This finding is in line with the previous studies. For example, Gan et al. (
The results further indicated that a positive attitude played a role in English language learning. The status of English, its importance as a language of instruction and its dominant position in South Africa incline students to have a positive attitude towards the language. Being a language of instruction, a command of English makes it easy for students to understand and do well in other courses or subjects. They understand that proficiency in English could bear fruits for them in future, and therefore they have a positive attitude towards the academic English module. Socialising with English mother tongue speakers and people who speak English well could contribute towards increasing their proficiency in the language. This finding is in line with previous studies. For example, the results of a study conducted by Kolo and Baba (
The findings also revealed most students perceived the academic English module as their favourite module because it helped them understand other subjects. This positive attitude towards the academic English module is important given its role with regard to students’ performance, even in other subjects. This positive attitude is important if one takes into consideration the fact that English is used as medium in many South African universities. Therefore, positive attitudes towards the academic English module have potential to open doors for the students in other subjects. This finding concurs with previous studies. For example, Elyazale (
The current study sought to establish university students’ perceptions about their lecturers’ motivational strategies and their attitudes towards the English language and the academic English module. Regarding the students’ perceptions about their lecturers’ motivational strategies, the findings indicated that the students perceived their lecturers as motivating them to study the academic English module. The most important motivational strategy lecturers were perceived to be using was to grant students an opportunity to ask questions. This is an important motivational strategy as it allows students to be active and afford them the opportunity to interact with the lecturer and other students. The value of feedback as a motivational strategy was also mentioned by the students. Constructive as well as timely feedback serves as a good motivational strategy for lecturers. Whenever students embark on a task, whether oral or written, they are always curious to know the results, and they feel demotivated when feedback does not come forth or is delayed. This finding is significant; hence, the positive or negative attitudes of the students towards lecturers has a bearing on the students’ academic success. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the academic English module was a favourite of many students, as it helped them understand other subjects. Many students also indicated that they enjoyed the academic English module very much. This is further supported by the students’ responses on the question on whether the academic English module was a waste of time. In this regard, many students disagreed, and this shows the high value of the academic English module to this cohort of students.
We would like to thank all the students who participated in the study.
The authors have declared that no competing interest exists
This article was written out of M.M.’s master’s research project. M.M. drafted the article, while M.C. revised and finalised it.
Ethical clearance was granted by the Tshwane University of Technology’s Research Ethics Committee on 03 September, 2020, with ethical clearance REC/2020/05/02.
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.