BANKING ACADEMY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ---------- GRADUATION THESIS TOPIC: INTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING ENGLISH OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT BANKING ACADEMY. Student: TRAN THI PHUONG Class: K23ATCA Academic Year: 2020-2024 Student ID: 23A7510109 Advisor: MA. NGUYEN THI THU TRANG Hanoi, May 2024 DECLARATIONS I declare that this version is the original paper of my study, which was completed with both physical and intellectual efforts. The statistics used for analysis are the complete results of my survey questionnaire.
The paper has not been submitted to any academic institutions or elsewhere previously. All necessary reference materials used to support the research have been appropriately cited. Hanoi, May 2024 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to express my sincere gratitude for the invaluable help and support. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, her guidance as my instructor has been instrumental, and I’m truly grateful for the time and effort she put into helping me.
In addition, I would like to express my thanks to 412 participants who actively participated in my survey questionnaire and took the time to share their thoughts and perspectives. Their honest responses have been incredibly insightful, and I could not have completed the paper without them. I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me throughout the project. Once again, from the bottom of my heart, thank Ms.
Trang, the respondents, my family, and my friends for helping and supporting me. It means more than words could ever express. Sincerely, Trần Thị Phương. ii ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate intrinsic drivers that influence non-English major students’ attitudes towards learning English at the undergraduate level.
The researcher employed a quantitative technique to obtain a comprehensive description of the real situation. A survey questionnaire was designed carefully and systematically to collect data. The questionnaire was structured logically to examine the three main aspects of internal factors. The researcher randomly invited 412 students who were not English majors at Banking Academy of Vietnam to participate in the survey.
Then, the collected data was input into SPSS software to examine the reliability of scales and get descriptive statistics for quantitative analysis. The study's findings mainly revealed that almost all intrinsic drivers positively impact learners’ attitudes towards English except factors related to effort, engagement, and time management. Keywords: internal factors, attitudes, non-English major students, attitudes towards learning English. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATIONS.
iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .vi LIST OF FIGURES. vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .1 Background of the study .4 Significance of the Study .5 Scope and limitations .6 Structure of the Thesis. 3 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Attitudes and Language Attitudes.1 Definition of Attitudes .2 Definition of Language Attitudes .3 Importance of attitudes in English learning.2 Factors affecting students’ language attitudes .1 Definition of internal factors .2 Role of internal factors .1 Locale of the study .3 Data collection methods.4 Data collection procedure. 19 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS .1 Reliability of the scale .2 Results on Cognitive Factors .3 Results on Affective Factors .4 Results on Behavioral Factors.
38 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS.1 Implications for non-English major students .2 Implications for Lecturers at Banking Academy .3 Recommendations for further studies. 54 LIST OF TABLES. 62 v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations Interpretation IELTS International English Language Testing System L2 Second language SPSS Statistical Package for the Social Sciences ANOVA Analysis of Variance MBA Master of Business Administration EFL English as a Foreign Language M Mean SD Standard Deviation vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 1: The most spoken languages worldwide in 2023. 1 Figure 2: Factors affecting students’ attitudes.
9 Figure 3: Sub-categories composing internal factors of learners’ attitudes 11 towards English learning. vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION In this chapter, primary information, the study’s aims, research questions, and the essentiality of the study are presented. The investigation’s scope, limitations, and the organization of the study are also highlighted.1 Background of the study English 1456 Chinese 1138 (Mandarin) Hindi 609.7 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 Speakers in millions Source: Statista Figure 1: The most spoken languages worldwide in 2023. The English language has a rich history that dates back to Medieval England.
This language has continuously undergone development and evolution to the present day. These days, it has become the dominant language in almost all fields, such as economy, politics, literature, and more (Křepelka, 2014), with nearly 1.5 billion speakers worldwide (Figure 1). Therefore, it is increasingly essential to learn and utilize this language, as it is not only a vital tool for communication but also a means instrument to access a vast treasure of human knowledge in many aspects. Understanding the role of English learning, Vietnamese policymakers and educators have made many efforts to bring this subject into the curriculum and make it a compulsory part of schools (thuvienphapluat, 2022).
Many universities also prioritize 1 students with English certificates such as IELTS as direct admission into these institutions (xaydungchinhsachphapluat, 2024). Moreover, being proficient in English also gives young people valuable career opportunities in the future, such as working in a multinational environment. Regarding learners, understanding the significant role of the language in their future, they tend to pay attention to investing more time, energy, and even finances to enhance their English skills. This reality was depicted via newspapers and other channels like the VTV24 program.
Regarding language attitudes, each learner has a different attitude towards English. It could be negative or positive. Whatever the attitudes, it has been indicated that they are influenced by various factors such as learner personality, education, society, and other factors (Getie, 2020). Among these factors, internal drivers significantly impact learners’ attitudes towards English learning (Juma M.
However, there are no available studies examining why non-English major students may hold particular attitudes towards learning English.2 Objective The study of the possible internal factors that might influence non-English major students’ attitudes towards English at the undergraduate level aims to shed light on intrinsic drivers, including their cognition, emotions, and behaviors. In short, the objective is to figure out determined factors and raise suitable implications that ignite non-English major students’ passion for English and empower them to achieve greater success in their English language studies.3 Research question The current study is intended to answer the following research questions: 1. What are the possible internal factors affecting students’ attitudes towards English learning? 2. How does each factor influence non-English major students’ attitudes towards learning English? 2 1.4 Significance of the Study The research on the intrinsic factors that shape non-English major students’ attitudes towards English learning at the undergraduate level offers a multifaceted perspective, which is crucial for improving language education.
Understanding the interplay between learners’ perceived value of English for their future careers, their beliefs, individual’ emotions, and behaviors can illuminate the reason behind their engagement in English classes. This investigation contributes to tailoring teaching methods to address these internal drivers. Educators can ignite a more positive and practical learning experience by fostering a learning environment that builds confidence, connects English to students’ orientation, and taps into their natural curiosity. Ultimately, the study holds significant value since it suggests a broader understanding of cultivating a love for lifelong language learning.5 Scope and limitations The research mainly focuses on examining possible internal factors affecting non-English major students’ attitudes towards learning English.
Students from K23 to K26 majoring in Banking, Finance, International Business, Business Administration, Accounting - Auditing, Information Technology and Digital Economy, Law, and Economics were invited to participate in the research. The study was carried out from March 1st, 2024, to May 5th, 2024. However, the study still contains some drawbacks. Firstly, although many participants were relatively active and interested in participating in the survey, some were not patient enough to read the whole questionnaire and rated each statement perfunctorily.
This hindrance might reduce the accuracy of collected data. Regarding the data collection procedure, it is challenging to select an equal number of students from each faculty to participate in the survey. Therefore, the results could be less generalizable. Finally, due to time constraints, the researcher was unable to conduct interviews; thus, the completion of the study may be lower than expected.6 Structure of the Thesis The thesis includes five chapters as follows: 3 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.
This part of the paper generally provides the background of the study, its objective, the research questions, its significance, and the scope and limitations of the research. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. The chapter covers theories relevant to learners’ attitudes towards English learning and the internal drivers of these attitudes. This section presents detailed information about participants, the data-gathering instrument, and the analysis procedure of the collected data.
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. This part aims to analyze collected data and thoroughly explain the results. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS. This chapter provides a brief conclusion of the findings and implications for non-English major students, English lecturers, and further studies.
4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Attitudes and Language Attitudes 2.1 Definition of Attitudes Since the concept of attitude was initially published in 1918, it has always been an attractive topic for many researchers in the fields of psychology and education, especially in relation to language improvement. An attitude is a complicated concept that is closely associated with various notions. For instance, the terms “belief,” “opinion,” “value,” “habit,” “trait,” “motive,” and “ideology” are the things that overlap with the term “attitude” (Mckenzie, 2010). Thus, the term itself is complex to define straightly because of the above-mentioned links that contribute to its meaning.
Nevertheless, the phrase was precisely defined by several authors. To some researchers, the concept of attitude was defined as a mental and neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive or dynamic influence upon the individual’s response to all objects and situations to which it is related (Fazio, 2007). This definition highlighted attitudes' two essential characteristics: readiness and its influence. Specifically, Gerd Bohner and Nina Dickel (2011) described attitude as an object of thought evaluation.
An attitude object may vary from visible to invisible things, including individuals, items, ideas, and phenomena. Another author also defined attitudes based on the interaction between individuals and their social environment. Additionally, “attitude” was characterized as any person’s beliefs, feelings, and reaction tendencies in relation to specific people, situations, or objects (Albarracin Arcienega & Quina Mamani, 2010). These attitudes are acquired and developed through the contract between the person and the social context around them.
Attitude can vary based on changes that may affect the context. In a different viewpoint, another scholar concluded that attitude can be described as learned through experiences, memories, and knowledge (Johnstone & Reid, 1981). Furthermore, according to Bourne and Reid (2013), attitude is stored in long-term memory as sophisticated networks and correlates to experiences, memories, and knowledge. 5 In conclusion, attitude is a kind of evaluation or a state of readiness that a person has towards objects, which affects the outcomes or responses provided by people in different situations.2 Definition of Language Attitudes Linguistic attitudes are defined as beliefs, emotions, stereotypes, ideals, or expectations that individuals maintain about a specific language or a language variety and its speakers (Albarracin et al.
The term “language attitude” was also characterized by other researchers as a series of beliefs, feelings, and behavioral intentions towards variants of a single language (Li & Wei, 2022). This definition aligned with the tripartite model of attitudes, in which the relationship between a latent attitude and some manifest evaluative statements - affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses - towards language aspects in social psychology. Therefore, it is important to understand and measure language attitudes accurately to build an appropriate learning environment with the aim of enhancing learners’ qualifications. According to Kusrini et al.
(2022) and Lee & Choe (2019), language attitudes are mainly composed of three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral.