Motivation for Learning English Among Thai EFL Vocational Students Majoring in English in Chiang Mai
Keywords:
Motivation in Learning English, Vocational Students, EFLAbstract
English is recognized as the international lingua franca, and in Thailand, it plays a vital role as a foreign language. Despite its importance, Thai vocational students often lack proficiency in English, which is essential for their future careers. This study aimed to investigate the levels and types of English learning motivation among 100 English major vocational students and five English teachers from a private vocational college, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The research instrument was adapted from Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB). The data were analyzed using percentage, frequency, mean, and standard deviation. The findings revealed that students exhibited a very high level of integrative motivation (x̅= 4.75) and slightly lower instrumental motivation (x̅= 4.68). Students with high integrative motivation understood foreign language media like movies and music, helping them engage with others and feel more confident communicating with native speakers. On the other hand, their instrumental motivation was driven by the compulsory nature of the subject and the desire to succeed in their future careers. English teachers emphasized that integrating active teaching methods, current events, role-plays, learning technology, and humor is essential to enhancing students’ motivation.
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