In life, new starts require new motivation. Motivation gives power, way, and perseverance (Ryan & Deci, 2000). Students also need the motivation to learn the English language. However, many students still face several challenges in learning English in the context of education in Timor-Leste. One of the challenges is how to stay self-motivated to learn the English language better. For example, my teaching experience revealed that some students lacked the motivation to learn the language. This can be seen in their attendance, grades, and attitudes in class. Few students would participate actively and earn high grades in the class. The rest would be at an average and a poor level. It seemed like some students did not know the reason why he/she learned the language. Han et al. (2019) explained some of the features that make Learners feel unmotivated to learn due to their friends’ insufficient attitudes, teacher-related factors, private issues, the experience of failure, and the education system.
Miao Yee Clare et al. (2019) researched the factors related to students’ demotivation in learning English. The result confirmed that English instructors strongly affected college students’ demotivation. This research has shown that teacher-related factors may discourage students from learning. The instructors were foremost, which necessitates reconsidering the traditional coaching styles. It makes the teachers not enjoy their teaching methods or fail to be good student models. In learning, the level of improvement increases depending on the way of teaching and modelling, particularly in language learning. Furthermore, Kim and Kim (2021) found some factors that demotivate students, such as teachers not having a precise teaching method, impractical English classes targeting too much grammar, and unrealistic communication, which cause students to become demotivated in learning.
Han et al. (2019) identified research on factors causing demotivation. The result shows that one of the principal factors that demotivates college students is poor classmates’ attitudes. It indicates that somehow students are not motivated to learn in class due to unsupportive friends. As observed in English classrooms, when students try to speak English, others may tease them for being more knowledgeable. This act can cause demotivation among the students, especially in second language learning.
Lack of motivation can result from personal issues. Sakai and Kikuchi (2009) worked on identifying and comparing the demotivational factors among motivated and less motivated students. The results showed that a lack of opportunities to practice English, boring topics in textbooks, and low assessment scores contributed significantly to their demotivation in learning English. Some students experience failure because of their home environment. There is no space for them to learn and practice the language.
Moreover, many students struggle with learning because of the educational facilities. Adara et al. (2019) identified that students could be demotivated in learning due to “inadequate learning facilities.” They indicated that learning resources are essential in motivating students to learn. This may happen because Timor-Leste is still developing in many sectors, including education. Schools in Timor-Leste are still in the process of establishing infrastructure, sustainability, and quality assurance.
Motivation serves as the key to enabling a person to excel in schooling. It allows students to provide extra energy to keep themselves motivated and willing to do the task. Gardner (1985) described the concept of motivation as three different things: effort, goals, and behaviors. Effort means doing one’s best to achieve the outcome with a determined behavior. It signifies a lack of motivation. A person cannot succeed in achieving his/her goals.
Harmers (2001) explained that students’ success depends on the motivation students bring to the class. It means that if a student comes to the class with high motivation, it will move the person to be persistent, diligent, and never give up. The person is determined to do the task and whatever is required in the class. He/she knows what to do and how to achieve it. Being diligent in learning means readiness and enthusiasm. The student has a confident attitude of being ready and cheerful in learning. Therefore, this research will classify students’ motivations to learn English.
Several researchers researched the students’ motivation to learn the English language. For example, Alothman (2022) examined the students’ attitudes and motivation for learning the English language in Iraq, primarily undergraduate students. The result revealed that students’ extrinsic motivation was higher than their intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, Em et al. (2022) researched students’ motivation to learn English at a private school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This study aimed to discover the level of students’ motivation to learn a foreign language. Sixty students were chosen to be part of this study. The result showed that the students were mostly exposed to extrinsic rather than intrinsic motivation in language learning. Similarly, Astriningsih and Mbato (2019) also researched English learners’ motivation. The result indicated that the learners’ motivation was high in terms of intrinsic and instrumental motivation.
In Timor-Leste’s context, Abi (2019) conducted a study at the Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) on the factors affecting English learners’ motivation in a multilingual setting. The study aimed to identify the factors affecting learners’ motivation to learn English. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. The findings revealed that students’ motivation was high in terms of instrumental motivation, implying that the students are extrinsically motivated to learn the English language. Moreover, Quinto (2015) conducted a study on the Timorese students in the Philippines, their attitudes, and motivation toward English as a working language. The result shows that the participants had favorable attitudes and instrumental motivation to learn the English language.
The results of the above studies showed that the learners are more exposed to extrinsic motivation. Therefore, it becomes the reason for the researchers to conduct more studies to determine whether the students in Timor-Leste have intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to learn English. Moreover, based on the research, none of the researchers conducted a study on the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learn English in the context of Timor-Leste. Thus, this becomes the focus of the researchers in this study to conduct more empirical research to enhance existing literature. Although plenty of existing studies are related to the topic, there are still contextual gaps where such research needs to be done on this specific population, area, and period. The study aimed to assist the students in finding the types of motivation they use to learn English. It applied a mixed-methods approach to determine the students’ motivation to learn English by seeking the answers to two research questions:
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(1)
What kind of motivation do the students use to learn English?
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(2)
How motivated are the students to learn the English Language?
The scope of limitation of this study is that this research focuses more on the students’ motivation toward learning the English language. Therefore, this research benefits lecturers by recognizing the types of students’ motivation and selecting the best strategies or approaches to implement in their daily teaching activities. Other than the lecturers, this research also benefits the students by recognizing their motivation for learning the English language in class. Moreover, this research also serves as a reference for parents to raise their awareness of their children’s motivation to learn the English language.
In this part, the researchers presented previous research on students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning English. It comprises the degrees and the qualities of the student’s motivation, confirmed by many researchers enumerated below.
Erniyati and Putra (2022) have researched students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in the non-English department in Kerinci, Indonesia. The result showed that the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation levels were high. Furthermore, the results revealed that students were intrinsically motivated compared to extrinsic motivation. This means that the students can manage to study English, even though there is not much outside motivation from teachers or others.
Siti (2017) led another research on students’ motivation in learning the English language. The study aimed to find out whether students were intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to learn the English Language. The research was done at the Islamic State University Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. One hundred forty-one student respondents were part of this research. The research findings indicated that students’ intrinsic motivation was higher than their extrinsic motivation. It means the majority of the students learn English because they love it.
Damayanti and Rachmawati (2022) researched Thai students’ English Language learning motivation. This study aimed to discover what inspired students to study English and how their desire manifested in classroom activities. The results indicated that most respondents had insufficient motivation related to lecture classroom engagement.
Alshehri and Etherington (2017) investigated teachers’ and students’ perceptions of motivational strategies in the context of Saudi Arabian education. The findings revealed that the teachers and the students appreciate the way the teachers motivate the students in the classroom. The study further explained that for the students to be motivated, it is believed that teachers’ teaching strategies can help the students achieve learning outcomes. Moreover, teachers should encourage students’ participation and interaction in the class by balancing L2 motivation and strategies to motivate them throughout their learning process. Moreover, Mujiyanto et al. (2021) suggested in their study that the best way to foster learners’ motivation is to teach brain-based teaching methods with the support of technology.
Motivation is the drive to the achievement of one’s goal in life. In learning, one of the vital aspects to support acquiring knowledge in the language is that we should have motivation. It is reinforced by Dörnyei (1998) that the success of learning a language is to have motivation. It is the fundamental factor influencing learners to succeed in learning a language. Burguillo (2010) defined that motivation directs people to better accomplishment in learning. It serves as a pathway to guide students to achieve their learning outcomes. In short, motivation is the longing for learning in all aspects of life and constitutes intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Zaccone and Pedrini (2019) specified that intrinsic motivation occurs when students appreciate the learning activities and are concerned about their learning due to internal wishes. This type of student, who integrates knowledge, explained that intrinsic motivation is developed from inner desire. It is stimulated from the inside and allows people to learn. So, if a student is driven from the inside, it serves as the foundation of character, allowing the person to learn better.
Intrinsic motivation is a notion that evolves from within and stimulates a person to do something. Harmer (2007) stated that intrinsic motivation comes from within the individual. The courage or the desire from the inside pushes somebody to do something. It ignites the willingness to strive for goal achievement. Cini et al. (2013) noted that intrinsic motivation joyfully engages people in activities. It means that being intrinsically motivated allows a person to employ him/herself in an activity, not because of other external influences but because the person likes it. He/she performs a task even after not being told to do so. For example, if a person chooses to major in English, not because of his/her parents or somebody else, but because that person loves the language, it arises from the internal factor that causes the action.
According to Abdelrahim and Humaida (2012), “Students who are intrinsically driven have a strong desire to succeed and put in more effort than extrinsically motivated students (p. 217).” It reflects that students with intrinsic motivation will work harder than those with extrinsic motivation. They give extra drive to enable them to be successful. They devote more time to themselves in a particular activity they are part of. For example, if a student loves reading, he/she will spend more time reading than listening to music.
Zaccone and Pedrini (2019) explained that an intrinsically motivated learner finds joy and interest in learning activities instead of worrying about his/her academic achievements. They say external factors do not attract learning but derive from within. The interest in education is not the achievement. For example, Liu (2020) conducted a study to compare low English and high English mastery in Taiwan. The results showed that the students were intrinsically motivated.
Extrinsic motivation is the opposite of intrinsic motivation. It concerns external endorsement that regulates people’s success. Qizi (2022) defined extrinsic motivation as the impact of external factors involving rewards and other external advantages. It applies to people who learn about these external factors. For example, someone wants to learn English because it helps his/her career development as a teacher.
Ryan and Deci (2020) stated that extrinsic motivation is also known as instrumental motivation, which is driven by externally imposed rewards. It simplifies performing certain activities as a result of getting the cost. For example, learning English can be motivated by the desire to get good grades, money, applause, and a reputation. Some students want to know because someone sponsors them. Others learn due to the praise, fame, and approval from others.
Liu (2020) also examined extrinsic motivation as being caused by outward encouragement, like praise, scholarship attainment, and a future career. It happens, for example, when some entities sponsor a student during the schooling process. Furthermore, Ryan and Deci (2020) explained that “extrinsic motivation is integrated regulation in which the person not only recognizes and identifies with the value of the activity but also finds it to be congruent with other core interests and values” (p. 3). It says extrinsic motivation does not help people see within a specific activity, but rather helps people connect the value of the particular learning with other activities. People learn it because it has a relationship value with others.
Several researchers carried out a study on learners’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. For example, Ulfa and Bania (2019) found this in their research in Langsa, Aceh, Indonesia. The results revealed that learners were extrinsically motivated due to their teachers’ impact on learning English. It implies that the learners acknowledge the teachers’ influence on the students’ learning. Similarly, Jefiza (2017) and Yulia (2013) led a study on student motivation and attitudes toward learning English. The findings showed that most students have extrinsic motivation compared to intrinsic motivation. It could be inferred that the students learn English because of external rewards or benefits.
However, none of the research above has been conducted in Timor-Leste before. Therefore, this study served as a good reference for raising awareness among the students in Timor-Leste. Besides students, this research served as a good reference for teachers and school principals to know the students’ motivation in learning, so that schools can help the students by providing a better learning environment to engage students’ participation in learning the English language. Concerning this, it was found that providing a scientific approach to enable students to practice activities in class would help increase students’ motivation and learning attitude. Ruesch et al. (2012) further revealed in a study on the students’ and the teachers’ perceptions of motivation that it is crucial to include the students’ perspectives in the classroom. It implies that teaching what the students like or are interested in knowing will help increase their motivation to learn in class. For example, Fandiño et al. (2019) led a study identifying students’ motivation to learn English. The study employed a qualitative approach. The results indicated that students are motivated to learn English due to external factors. Likewise, Yuzulia (2012) researched students’ motivation toward English learning. The study applied a qualitative method. The findings revealed that the students have both high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Therefore, considering the approach used in the above studies, the researchers believed that conducting more research on motivation with the different approaches would give more fruitful results regarding students’ motivation to learn English.
The mixed method was used in this research to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative method applied in this study was a survey questionnaire, which was intended to gain quantitative data about the attitudes of the selected respondents for this study. In other words, this research used descriptive statistics. According to Fisher and Marshall (2009), descriptive statistics are the mathematical procedures or graphical methods used to consolidate and describe the characteristics or factors of a specified sample. The qualitative method used in this study was the interview. It helped the researchers gain contextual data directly from the respondents.
The research was conducted at Instituto São João de Brito (ISJB), Kasait, Liquiça, Timor-Leste. ISJB is the only Jesuit higher institution in Timor-Leste and was founded in 2016. The institute’s vision is to form qualified and professional secondary school teachers to support the country’s development.
The participants of this research were the English department students of Instituto São João Brito (ISJB) in the 2022–2023 academic year. The number of participants was thirty-three (33) students. The researchers first wrote a consent letter to the Dean of the English Department at ISJB to recruit the participants for approval. Second, the students were informed about the aim of the study. Third, the students were also advised that participating in this study was voluntary. Then, the respondents were selected using a purposive sampling method. This method helped the researchers find respondents who could be proficient and adequately informed about a phenomenon.
The data for this research were collected using a survey questionnaire and an interview. The questionnaire was adapted from Gardner’s Attitude and Motivation as used in Siti (2017). The questionnaire helped the researcher gain data about the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation toward learning the English Language. It consisted of 10 (ten) items and was divided into two categories. The first category was about intrinsic motivation, which consisted of 5 (five) items, and the second category consisted of 5 (five) items. The researchers analyzed the validity and reliability of the instrument. The reliability value of the instrument was 0.68, which means it was reliable. It was found that Cronbach’s Alpha score of the questionnaire was 0.88, which means that the items used in this study were valid and reliable.
In collecting the data for this research, the researchers personally administered the instrument. The researchers prepared the questionnaires using Google Forms. Then, the researcher copied and sent the questionnaire link to the students through their Email and WhatsApp groups. The respondents were instructed and asked to fill up the questionnaires, followed by an interview which was held through Google Meet. The respondents were given 2 weeks to read and fill out the questionnaire. The participants had a chance to fill out the questionnaire one time only. The recorded responses from the interview were downloaded and encoded using SPSS 25 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences).
The data gained for this study were analyzed using descriptive statistics in mean and standard deviation to define the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The SPSS software was employed to display quantitative data from the questionnaire. This research also used the Likert Scale: Strongly Agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree, as presented in Table 1. Researchers carefully transcribed and classified the data from the interview according to the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations they represented. Furthermore, the data were discussed to support the quantitative data. The score guideline below was adapted from Astriningsih and Mbato (2019).
Score guidelines.
| Description | Value | Range | Classification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 5 | 4.21–5.00 | Very high |
| Agree | 4 | 3.41–4.20 | High |
| Neutral | 3 | 2.61–3.40 | Moderate |
| Disagree | 2 | 1.81–2.60 | Low |
| Strongly disagree | 1 | 1.00–1.80 | Very low |
In this part, the researchers presented the research findings regarding students’ motivation to answer the first research question about the types of motivation, namely intrinsic motivation (Table 2) and extrinsic motivation (Table 3). To answer the second research question regarding students’ motivational degrees, the researchers displayed the overall findings from the participants based on the total mean score of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The findings were collected from 33 student respondents who had completed the questionnaires. The respondents were asked to fill in 10 questions regarding intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning English.
Results of intrinsic motivation.
| No. | Intrinsic motivation | Mean | SD | Level of motivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1. | Learning English helps me advance my English language skills | 4.36 | 0.74 | Very high |
| A2. | I learn English to enable me to easily interact with English speakers | 4.36 | 0.82 | Very high |
| A3. | I learn English to allow me to participate freely in the activities of other cultural groups | 3.96 | 0.88 | High |
| A4. | Learning English is always something I want and is part of what I doings | 4.09 | 0.76 | High |
| A5. | I learn English because it gives me joy | 4.30 | 0.88 | Very high |
| Total mean score | 4.22 | 0.81 | Very high |
Results of extrinsic motivation.
| No. | Extrinsic motivation | Mean | SD | Level of motivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1. | I learn English because it helps me to get a good job | 4.21 | 0.96 | Very high |
| B2. | I learn English because it benefits me to pursue my studies abroad | 4.06 | 0.65 | High |
| B3. | Learning English enables me to perform well in the examination | 3.06 | 0.78 | Moderate |
| B4. | The reason I learn English is to please my family | 3.24 | 1.0 | Moderate |
| B5. | Nobody is knowledgeable except that he is fluent in English | 3.42 | 1.0 | High |
| Total mean score | 3.79 | 0.88 | High |
Table 2 indicates students’ intrinsic motivation in learning the English Language. The data generally showed that students’ intrinsic motivation in learning the English language was very high, as rated with a mean of 4.22 (very high). It can be seen in the table that for each item of the questionnaire, the participants were rated as high and very high. Item A1 shows that the participants acknowledged that English helps them advance their language skills (mean: 4.36). Item 2 indicates that English made them feel at ease with other speakers (mean: 4.36). Both items A1 and A2 got very high ratings because they knew learning English helped improve their language skills. Item A3 indicates that the participants also liked learning English because it allowed them to participate freely in the activities (mean: 3.96). Additionally, item A4 shows that the participants considered English part of their daily activities (mean: 4.09). Item A5 shows that the participants were interested in learning English because it gave them joy (mean: 4.30).
Table 3 indicates the students’ perceived extrinsic motivation to learn English. The data showed that the students’ extrinsic motivation was rated high, with a mean of 3.79. Each item in extrinsic motivation shows results that are over a neutral rating. As can be seen in item B1, the participants’ willingness to get a good job drove them to learn English (mean: 4.21). The desire to study overseas also motivated them to study English (mean: 4.06). Besides that, earning high grades in the examination greatly influenced the participants to learn English (M: 3.06). Although learning English is part of their academic achievements, item B4 shows that the participant also acknowledged that they learned English just to please their family (M: 3.24). Lastly, item B5 shows that the participants believed that no one was educated unless he/she was fluent in English (mean: 3.42).
The overall findings from intrinsic and extrinsic motivation illustrated high intrinsic motivation, with a mean of 4.22 and a St. deviation of 0.81. Extrinsic motivation showed a mean of 3.79 and a St. deviation of 0.88. From both data, it can be inferred that students’ intrinsic motivation was higher than extrinsic motivation.
The qualitative data for this research were gained through a one-on-one interview to gain qualitative data about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The interview was conducted via video call on WhatsApp. The questions for the interview were given before the interview took place. Four students were purposely chosen for the interview to represent the highest, moderate, and lowest. Therefore, the researchers presented a summary of the interview, focusing on the main points.
After completing the questionnaire, four students were selected to be interviewed. The students were purposely chosen to represent the low, moderate, and highly motivated students to gain appropriate information about the research topic, in the first interview question. The respondents were asked what motivated them to learn the English language. A participant said: “I am motivated to learn English today because English is the prime requirement for most jobs and schools in this modern era.”
This statement reflects that the students were aware of the widespread use of English. Another respondent supported this statement when he was asked about his motivation to learn the English language. He said he was motivated to learn the English language because of its widespread utility in the world. That was what motivated him the most to learn English seriously. Another student reported that listening to others speaking English triggered her to learn English.
The students raised a second interesting point when asked what encouraged them to practice English at school or at home. Respondent A said: “I am encouraged to practice English because practice makes perfect. Fluency in any language is the first thing we must consider in practice.”
Student B emphasizes that it encouraged him to practice English because fluency in speaking requires practice. Lastly, student C further stated that she urged herself to practice English everywhere to improve her English.
In the third point, the students were asked to answer how long they spent practicing the English language every day. The researchers intended to ask about their time devoted to English because learning a language requires practice. Regarding this, respondent A said: On average, it takes me more than an hour per day to practice my English. I usually do this in English classes and also on Tuesday, the community English day. So, most of my conversations are almost in English. I can rank it 7 (1–10).
Other than practicing American English, the students were also asked if there were times they felt demotivated to learn the English language, for example, when they failed a test. Participant B said during the interview: Yes, that’s right. I have experienced being demotivated several times when I fail. However, the thing that keeps me motivated again to learn is myself, because I want to understand and speak English.
Moreover, failure did not stop them from learning English. As confirmed by response C, failure never stopped him. However, it motivated her to strive for better outcomes progressively.
In the fifth interview point, the respondents were asked to label their motivation with previous learning motivation. Being proficient in a language needs consistency. To answer that, two respondents gave the same answer as respondent A: If I compare my previous experience learning English with this year’s, it looks pretty different. I have been studying English for a long time and still speak broken English. But when I entered university, I could speak English well; it’s easy now to understand English.
It shows that students’ motivation to learn the English language increased when they entered university. The student’s level of motivation increased because they knew the benefits of studying the English language. As Respondent A said: Knowing English will allow me to share or talk with native speakers and deal easily with books, whether online or digital, because most instructions on the internet are in English. So, knowing English is a plus point. Respondent B further explained that learning English helps me develop my cognitive skills and language proficiency.
The overall findings from the interview show the students’ high intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning the English language. They know why they learn English and how it will benefit them in the future.
The study sought to answer two main research questions, i.e.: (1) What kind of motivation do the students use to learn English? and (2) How motivated are the students in learning the English Language? Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed to answer these questions.
The findings from the quantitative study indicated that the students at Instituto São João de Brito were intrinsically motivated to learn the English language, with a mean of 4.22 (really high). It means that the students of ISJB were inspired internally to learn the English language. Legault (2017) points out that students are engaged in learning because they naturally enjoy it. In other words, the finding shows that the students are not attaching themselves to learning outcomes or external rewards. However, the deeds push them to be involved in learning. The students are intrinsically motivated, probably because they know the benefits of learning. As also reinforced by Deci and Ryan (2008), intrinsic motivation is a highly ideal behavior that brings numerous advantages for students, such as pleasure and diligence in learning. The findings from the questionnaire and interview indicated that, generally, the students learn English because they are interested in it. They find joy in learning English. As a respondent said during the interview, the more she or he learned, the more motivated he/she was. This means that learning increases passion and diligence for further learning. Santrock (2011) also reinforced that motivation includes energy, direction, and behavior that can sustain the process. It occurs likely because he/she loves the language.
It is supported by the data from the interview when a respondent said that she wanted to understand and speak English well because learning English enabled her to talk to native speakers and read English books. This statement of motivation shows courage and a willingness to learn English. Communicating with native speakers and reading English books stimulates them to learn English. Another respondent also emphasized that listening to English-speaking people made him learn English. It reflects the internal endorsement that moves the student to learn. As claimed in a previous study, intrinsic motivation is an internal stimulus that allows somebody to choose an activity freely without considering an external stimulus. It means that when the learners freely choose to be part of an activity due to enjoyment, that is intrinsic motivation.
The findings for extrinsic motivation signified that the students’ motivation in learning the English language was high, as demonstrated by an overall mean of 3.79. It means that some external factors also contribute to the student’s learning. The data indicated that the students of IJSB also possess extrinsic motivation. As Qizi (2022) explained, extrinsic motivation results from outward influences. It signifies that even though the students’ intrinsic motivation was high, they also had high extrinsic motivation. The researchers found that the students were extrinsically motivated to learn English because they wanted to pursue further studies abroad and prepare themselves for good jobs. It implies that the motivation for learning English is to get a good job or a better career. This extrinsic finding aligns with a study conducted by Haisley et al. (2021) on the difference in motivation between American and international students. The result illustrated that international students’ motivation is higher than that of their American counterparts. The result further found that the desire to study abroad and grasp global experiences becomes the source of international students’ motivation. Further, some studies show that the experience of studying abroad is an asset to the workplace (Kratz & Netz, 2016; Petzold, 2017). Similarly, Mbato (2013) stated that the widespread use of English globally had been associated with career achievement and job opportunities.
Another respondent said, “It is important to speak English abroad.” This response strengthens the findings in the quantitative study. For example, the statement “I learn English because it benefits me to pursue my studies abroad (Q7) showed a mean of 4.04. These statements contain outer motivation, which considers instrumental motivation. English serves as an instrument of communication when people are abroad. Ryan and Deci (2020) state that extrinsic motivation is also regarded as instrumental and affects external rewards.
This study’s findings correlate with a previous study by Erniyati and Putra (2022) about determining the students’ motivation to learn English. The result showed that students’ intrinsic motivation was higher than extrinsic motivation. Similarly, Siti (2017) found in her research conducted in Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, which analyzed the students’ motivation in studying English, that the students were more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated.
However, this study contradicts the findings of a survey conducted by Em (2022) on students’ motivation to learn English. The results showed that the students were more extrinsically than intrinsically motivated in English language learning. Similarly, Aulia and Zainil (2020) found in their research with 78 students in Sijunjun, Indonesia, that students’ extrinsic motivation was higher than their intrinsic motivation. Most students learn English due to external stimuli such as grades, competitions, and interactions. In another study conducted by Mbato and Kharismawan (2018), they found that university students in Indonesia were driven by instrumental motivation to learn English rather than integrative reasons. The overall findings in our study showed that students were more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated.
The study aimed to describe the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning English. Quantitative and qualitative data and discussions of the study show that students of ISJB have intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to learn the English language. However, their intrinsic motivation to learn English is higher than their extrinsic motivation. Most of them learn English for inward reasons. They realize that English is one of the most entertaining languages to learn. Therefore, it can be concluded that students’ intrinsic motivation positively impacts their participation in class because they find learning pleasurable. They also acknowledge that English helps improve their skills. In addition, the sources of students’ extrinsic motivation come from the desire to deal with native speakers, get to know other cultures, help them get good jobs, and provide them with opportunities to study abroad.
These findings have important implications for teaching English as a foreign language. Educators should focus on creating a learning environment that fosters intrinsic motivation by incorporating enjoyable and engaging activities, providing opportunities for autonomy, and encouraging students to explore their interests. Teachers can also motivate students extrinsically by highlighting the practical benefits of learning English, such as improved job prospects and studying abroad. Furthermore, culturally relevant content and student-centered approaches can enhance students’ motivation and engagement. By understanding the sources of students’ motivation, educators can tailor their instruction to meet the diverse needs and interests of students, ultimately promoting a more effective and enjoyable learning experience.
The study was limited to 33 students from one English Department in one Institution. Therefore, future research can include more students to generate more valid data about the findings. Researchers can also consider EFL students’ motivation in learning English based on gender and age. It might be helpful to see motivational degrees from males and females and various age groups when learning a foreign language.
Authors state no funding involved.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.