Motivation of Students to Practice English Speaking in EFL Classrooms
Keywords:
integrative motivation, instrumental motivation, Thai university students, EFL students, English speakingAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the integrative and instrumental motivation of students at a university in Phitsanulok when they practice English speaking in their English as Foreign Language (EFL) classes. There were 75 undergraduate students who agreed to be participants in the study which included 25 students from each of the Faculty of Business Administration and Liberal Arts (BALA), the Faculty of Science and Agricultural Technology (SAT), and the Faculty of Engineering (ENG). The participants were selected using a purposive sampling method to complete a 20-item questionnaire evaluating their motivation in practicing their English speaking. The results showed that the participants from the three faculties have a high level of motivation (x̄=4.04, SD=0.13) to practice English speaking. Instrumental motivation (x̄=4.13, SD=0.20) had a significantly higher mean than integrative motivation (x̄=3.94, SD=0.09). It could be said that students of a university in Phitsanulok are highly motivated to practice speaking in English. Furthermore, students seem to believe that practicing speaking in English can help them find a job in the future and Englishspeaking experience could help them when they go abroad. Also, they tend to be more confident when they speak in English. The results of this study indicate that the motivation to practice speaking English among students at a university in Phitsanulok needs to be nurtured.
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