Vietnam national university, HaNoi
college of foreign languages
Department of Postgraduate

KHUONG THI THU HAI
A study on CONTEXTUAL INFLUENCES ON STUDENTS’
ATTITUDES TOWARD ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING
AT VIET - HUNG Industrial college.

(Nghiên cứu ảnh hưởng của hoàn cảnh đến thái độ của sinh viên đối
với việc học tiếng Anh ở trường cao đẳng công nghiệp Việt - Hung)

MA. MINOR THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH METHODOLOGY
CODE: 601410
Hanoi,2009

3.6.1. Attitudes toward Learning Situation
3.6.2. Integrativeness
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1. Conclusions
4.2. Recommendations
4.3. Limitations of the study
REFERENCES
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AMTB
Attitude/ Motivation Test Battery
EFL
English as a Foreign Language
ESL
English as a Second Language
ESP
English for Special Purposes
FLL
Foreign Language Learning
L2
Second Language
2LL
Second Language Learning
TEFL
Teaching English as a Foreign Language
TL
Target Language
VIC
Viet Hung Industrial College

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situation. The model proposes that integrativeness and attitudes toward the learning
situation are two correlated variables that support the individual‟s motivation to learn a
second language, but that motivation is responsible for achievement in the second language
learning. In other words, integrativeness and attitudes toward the learning situation are
related to achievement in the second language learning, but that effect is indirect, acting
through motivation.
There are a variety of factors affecting learner‟s motivation and attitudes. Among
these factors are their learning purposes, instructional content and teaching methods. Good
learning environment tends to render in the learner proper motivation so that learning
becomes a self-directed process. However, many learners come into class without well-
defined set of motivation and attitudes. They are not clear about how and why languages
should be learnt for personal pursuits. Moreover, motivation can be treated as a dependant
variable in a research. Operating on motivation is supposed to improve achievement and
chances of success.
In Vietnam in general and at Viet Hung Industrial College (VIC) in particular,
English has an overwhelming position as a foreign language. It has been a compulsory
subject in curricular. In many schools such as VIC , teachers have been facing problems of
large size, prescribed textbooks, limited time for formal instruction and low proficiency
students. Many students learn English just as to pass the exams, and a lot of teachers‟
attempts to try out communicative activities fail at large classes. The matter of
heterogeneity also considerably limits the chance of success of communicative tasks.
Therefore, few students can use English to communicate in common real-life situations,
and they tend to „forget‟ English upon leaving school. Attaining the ability to produce
linguistic outcomes and maintaining interest in continuous learning seem to be a difficult
task for many students.
To sum up, there are many factors leading to successful foreign language learning.
In the extent of this study, the researcher wants to find out “contextual influences on
students’ attitudes toward English language learning at Viet Hung Industrial

English at VIC.

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1.6 Significance of the study
The significance role of context in teaching and learning English can hardly denied.
The study is designed to find attitudes of students toward learning English beyond context
at VIC. Some suggestions will be given for language teachers to make teaching procedure
more convenient and effective.
1.7 Organization of the thesis
The thesis is divided into four chapters:
 Chapter I: Introduction
 Chapter II: Literature review
 Chapter III: The study
 Chapter IV: Recommendation and conclusion
The first chapter provides all information about the rationale, purpose, scope,
method and significance of the study.
The second chapter presents the theoretical background: the theories and concepts
related to attitudes and integrativeness in learning English
Chapter 3 is devoted to a detail description of data analysis and a discussion on the
findings of the study.
And the last chapter, chapter 4, present summary of the findings and draws out
some pedagogical suggestions in relation to the question of how to motivate students to
learn English more effectively.
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CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW

Motivation and attitudes are the key factors to gain language learning achievement
Positive attitudes and motivation are related to succeed in second language learning. This

predispositions and personality characteristics such as the learner‟s attitudes towards
foreign people in general, and the target group and language in particular, motives for
learning, and generalized attitudes (Gardner 1985). Wenden (1991) sees attitudes as
including three components: First, attitudes tend to have a cognitive component. This could
involve beliefs or perceptions about the objects or situations related to the attitude. Second,
attitudes have an evaluative component. This means that the objects or situations related to
the attitude may generate like or dislike. Third, attitudes have a behavioral component, i.e.
certain attitudes tend to prompt learners to adopt particular learning behaviours. Bernat and
Gvozdenko (2005) discuss the current issues, pedagogical implications and new directions
in beliefs about language learning including social, cultural, contextual, cognitive,
affective, and personal factors among which attitudes have an important place. Similarly,
Csizér and Dörnyei (2005) conclude attitude as an important factor in language learning in
their study on the internal structure of language learning motivation and its relationship
with language choice and learning effort, which was put forward previously as the Process
Model of L2 Motivation (Dörnyei and Ottó 1999). Moreover, Dörnyei (2000) proposes a
process-oriented approach to the understanding of student motivation which broke down
the motivational process
Social psychologists like Krech, Crutchfield & Ballachey (1962) define attitudes as
„enduring systems of positive or negative evaluations, emotional feelings, and pro or con
action techniques with respect to social objects‟ (p. 29). Rokeach (1979) also takes
endurance to be characteristic, defining attitude to be „a relatively enduring organization of
beliefs around an object or situation predisposing one to respond in some preferential
manner‟ (p. 105). Ajzen (1988), focusing more on attitudes as explaining human
behaviour, holds that „an attitude is a disposition to respond favorably or unfavorably to an
object, person, institution, or event‟ (p. 4). Likewise, Baker (1992) describes attitude as „a
hypothetical construct used to explain the direction and persistence of human behaviour‟
(p.10).
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Similarly, Klausmeier (1985), an educational psychologist, holds that attitudes „are

human behaviour, they seem to attract broader interest. Maslow (1970), one of the main
proponents of humanistic theory, proposes that motivation itself implies need-satisfying
behaviour, with the hierarchy of needs-motives as follows; 1) physiological needs (the
lowest rank in his hierarchy); followed by 2) safety needs, 3) belongingness and love
needs, 4) esteem needs, 5) self-actualization needs, 6) desires to know and understand, and
7) aesthetic needs. Higher level needs come into effect (cause, or explain) only when
lower-level needs have been gratified. Maslow suggests a kind of cut-off for „higher-level‟,
around level five, self-actualization needs. Self-actualization refers to people‟s desire for
self-fulfillment, namely, the tendency for them to become actualized in what they are
potentially‟ (Maslow, 1970: 22). Rivers (1983) interprets Maslow‟s theory as follows:
“all human beings have a hierarchy of needs that must be satisfied before they can reach
the stage where the achievement of their potential as individuals becomes their chief
concern- the stage where they seek to develop their powers and increase their knowledge
and experience”. (p.148)
Rivers goes on to argue that Maslow‟s hierarchical needs theory can be adapted to
second language learning, especially to bilingual settings. When language students are not
performing to their teachers expectations, „the reasons may be traceable to unsatisfy lower
levels of Maslow‟s hierarchy of needs‟ (p. 148).
Motivation in second language learning is a complex phenomenon which can be
defined in terms of two factors: learner‟s communicative needs and their attitudes towards
the second language community. If learners need to speak the second in a wide range of
social situations or to fulfill professional ambitions, they will perceive the communicative
value of the second language and will therefore be motivated to acquire proficiency in it.
In summary, motivation refers to goal-directed behaviors and when one is
attempting to measure motivation, attention, can be directed toward a number of features
of the individual. The motivated individual expends effort, is persistent and attentive to the
task at hand, has goals, desires and aspirations, enjoys the activity, experiences
reinforcement from success and disappointment from failure, makes attributions
concerning success and/or failure, is aroused, and make use of strategies to aid in achieving
goals. That is, the motivated individual exhibits many behaviors, feelings, cognitions, etc.,

1992). Johnstone (1989), for example, writes that attitudes have objects as their points
of reference, e.g. a positive attitude to school, a negative attitude to mathematics‟ and
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continues that motivation has goals rather than objectives as its point of reference‟ (p.:
120).
Therefore, individuals are assessed on whether they have negative or positive
attitudes to a certain object. On the other hand, motivation is either present (at some
strength) or absent, rather than negative or positive.
Ellis (1994: 198) states that
Learners manifest different attitudes toward (1) the target language, (2) target-
language speakers, (3) the target-language culture, (4) the social value of learning the L2,
(5) particular uses of the target language, and (6) themselves as members of their own
culture. These attitudes are likely to reflect the particular social settings in which learners
find themselves. Learner attitudes have an impact on the level of L2 proficiency achieved
by individual learners and are themselves influenced by this success. Thus, learners with
positive attitudes, who experience success, will have these attitudes reinforced. Similarly,
learners‟ negative attitudes may be strengthened by lack of success. We will also find cases
of learners who begin with positive attitudes but who, for one reason or another, experience
inadequate learning opportunities, fail to progress as they expected, and consequently,
become more negative in their outlook.
In this study, I will adopt Ellis‟s above attitudinal theory to explore the attitudes of
the students at VIC towards English language learning.
2.4. Role of Attitudes in Foreign Language Learning
In educational psychology, attitudes are considered to be strongly determinative of
academic achievement (this is of course simply a special case of the conclusion reached in
section 3.1 above, that „affective variables are thus expected to be greatly determinative of
success in learning English‟). For example, Klausmeier (1985) notes that „attitudes
influence how well students learn and how they behave‟ (p. 375) and goes on to give an
example – high school students with positive attitudes toward mathematics take optional

motivational intensity similar to Jones‟ (1950) index of interest in learning a language.
In this research, they found that students with integrative motivation were more
successful in learning a second language that those with instrumental motivation. The
students‟ parents‟ attitudes also affected their motivation. That is, the students integratively
oriented to learn French had „the parents who also were integrative in outlook and
sympathetic to the French community‟ (Gardner & Lambert, 1972: 5).
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Results such as these led the researchers to conclude that integrative motivation can
last longer and create more positive results than instrumental motivation, because the
former is more deeply concerned with the personality of the learner.
Meaningful involvement in language learning happens only when learners find
their needs to be met. Thus it is assumed that motivation is one of the major factors
contributing to one‟s success in learning a second or foreign language. Oxford & Shearan
(1994) state that:
“Many researchers consider motivation as one of the main elements that determine
success in developing a second or foreign language; it determines the extent of active,
personal involvement in L2 learning.”(Page 78)
Herman (1980) and Skehan (1989) argue that it is also possible for motivation to be
the result of learning. Learners who achieve success tend to persevere motivation, and
those who don‟t succeed become discouraged and gain less success. In such circumstances
a vicious circle can evolve, with low motivation resulting in low achievement, low
achievement creating low motivation and so on.
Spolsky (1997) presents a model of language learning which involve,4 factors.
According to her, linguistic outcome K is the summary of K
P
(knowledge and skills at the
moment), A (a symbol to represent various components of ability including physiological,
biological, intellectual and cognitive skills), M (a symbol to include various affective
factors such as personality, attitude, motivation and anxiety), and O (opportunity for

behaviors. Motivation explains for man‟s action.
2.6. Models of motivation
Derived from different theoretical psychological theories, models of motivation are
also diversified in number and nature. In fact, there is no unique model applied in all
situations because models can be different in popular. Instead, researchers often seek to
build up their own model to fit in their social context of study. There are some of important
models the researcher have found in the literature as follow:
Of the models of motivation in language learning, the most notable is Gardner and
Lambert‟s (1972) socio-educational models. This model incorporate four variables
summarizing individual differences: intelligence, language aptitude, motivation and
situational anxiety. These psychologist researchers insist that the primary factor in the
model is motivation. He defines motivation as a combination of attitudes towards learning
the language, desire to learn the language, and effort made to learn the language. All these
3 components determine success if the students is truly motivated. According to Gardner, a
highly motivated individual will enjoy learning the language, want to learn the language
and strive to learn the language. Achievement can influence attitude, but the primary
causal relationship is that achievement is the result of attitude and motivation.
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Gardner‟s (1972) studies have led to an introduction of integrative and instrumental
motivation. Integrative motivation occurs when the learner is studying a language because
he/she wishes to assimilate and identify with the culture of speakers of that language. An
instrumental motivation describes a group of factors concerned with motivation arising
from external goals such as passing exams, increasing chances of getting a good job, or
gaining promotion. Initially, Gardner stated that integrative motivation contributed more to
language learning achievement than instrumental motivation. Now he no longer holds this
point, but insists that integrative motivated students tend to have more chances of success
than those who are not. Later research has included that while integrative motivation is
perhaps more important in a second language context, an instrumental motivation maybe
more important in other situations where language is learnt as a foreign language (Clement

Evaluation of the teacher(10 items)
Construct 2:
Integrativeness
subtest 3:
Attitudes toward the target language group (4 items)
subtest 4:
Interest in foreign languages(10 items)
subtest 5:
Integrative orientation (10 items)
Construct 3:
Motivation
subtest 6:
Motivation intensity (10 items)
subtest 7:
Desire to learn the language (10 items)
subtest 8:
Attitudes toward learning the language (10 items)
Construct 4:
Instrumental Orientation
subtest 9:
Instrumental motivation (4 items)
Construct 5:
Language Anxiety
subtest 10
Language class anxiety (10 items)
subtest 11
Language use anxiety (10 items)

Gardner‟s approach has influenced many studies in L2 motivation. Although it is
clear that Gardner‟s theory has made a large contribution to this area, many studies calling

groups.
Attitudes toward the Learning Situation
Attitudes toward the learning situation refer to the individual‟s reaction to anything
associated with the immediate context in which the language is taught. As conceived in the
socioeducational model, these attitudes are considered relative to others in the class.
Obviously, there would be differences in attitudes among classes because of the nature of
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the particular classroom environment, but in the earlier research (see, for example, Gardner
& Lambert, 1972; Gardner & Smythe, 1981), this variation was eliminated from the
correlations. This was because the focus of the research was on individual differences and
their relation to achievement, and in such a context, any class differences that might result
because of pedagogical or other differences among classes would be considered confounds
that would mask the true correlation.
There are two scales in the AMTB that assess attitudes toward the learning
situation. One is Evaluation of the Course, and the other is Evaluation of the Teacher.
Other features of the course could have been considered as well, such as valuation of the
text and associated learning materials and evaluation of the teaching environment and
classmates, but it was decided that much of the important variation in attitudes toward the
learning situation would be captured if attention were directed to assessing the individual‟s
evaluation of the course and the teacher.
In conclusion, in this chapter the researcher has reviewed the different theories of
attitudes and motivation in TEFL, the distinction between attitudes and motivation, the
modes of motivation. In fact, there are varied views in study. This makes it difficult to
provide a neat summary of motivation. However, researchers agree that motivation and
attitudes of learning language contributes great deal in language learning success. In
addition, the AMTB is presented to measure the language learning achievement, but only
two constructs of five, integrativeness and attitudes toward learning situation and five
subtests of eleven are applied in this study for the context of VIC because of time
limitation and scope of the study. In the following chapter, I will present contextual

skills are considered as a pre-requisite for graduation at several schools and college. So
many foreign language centers are presented to add up more excitement to language
learning environment in recent years.English is so important and necessary, but
achievement of learning English at school and college is not accessible and formal English
instruction in schools seems to respond slowly to such changes. The result is that many
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students end up years of learning English without being able to communicate the basics.
Even those good students would soon forget English just because they no longer use it
upon leaving schools. It is also common to find tertiary students go back to elementary
curriculum they already completed in secondary school simply because they have no
choice of what they are going to learn.
At individual social environment, Viet - Hung Industrial College is a college in
which there are more than eight thousand students of many different fields such as
Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration, Tourist
Guide, Accounting, Automobile Engineering, Electrics and Electronics. All of them are
non-major English students. Our college was upgraded to the college from the technical
worker training school in 2005. We started enrolling of college students in 2006 with 450
students. So both curriculum and method of teaching is at the path of being better. The
participants in this study are the students of the first college students training course.
My students take technical domains as their major and English as a minor subject.
The school‟s overall emphasis in the curriculum is on the practical side of mechanical
engineering technology. There is little need for students to read extensively or investigate
profoundly in a certain area of academy. Therefore, formal instruction time for theoretical
subject such as English is kept low. Students are trained to used English for basic daily
communication and in the workshop contexts.
For many students English is just a compulsory subject. Many of them do not have
the right aptitude and attitude to take the subject seriously. Although the course objective is
to focus more on the reading skill, which is assumed necessary in reading technical
materials and instructions, students awareness of the relationship between the benefit of

Engineering Technology is the most long-term and most crowded domain of our college of
the course. Therefore this sample does not necessarily present the whole population of VIC
students.
Most students are 19 – 20 years of age and study English in a homogeneous, 55 to
70 member class. Heterogeneity reflexes markedly, as students come from different
background and environment, varied from the city to mountainous areas. About half of
students have learnt English for 8 to 9 years, but some have just taken it when they
attended the college. About the rest half have studied English for 4-5 years.
As a whole, these participants have studied English as a school requirement for 3
semesters, the first two being general English and the next being ESP semester. At the time
of this study, they were attending the fourth semester. These students have been taught by
the other teachers of English not the researcher.
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3.3. Methods of Data Collection
The data collection method applied in this study was aimed at collecting
quantitative data from two questionnaires and being analytic statically. The procedure of
data collection was as follows: A questionnaire was administered at the last of third
semester when students had finished the whole English curriculum.
3.4. The Questionnaire
The survey questionnaire was an adaptation from Gardner‟s (1985)
Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB). Although the full AMTB consists of about 100
questions, the mini version is much neater and was open to more inclusions. Five original
categories are Integrativeness, Attitudes toward the learning situation, Motivation
intensity, Instrumental motivation and Language anxiety. In my study, I apply
Integrativeness, Attitudes toward the learning situation that have been proved how
context influences toward students‟ attitude of learning English. The total numbers of
questions included in the questionnaire are 20 (see Appendix 1). The two subscales on this
measure as follow:
1. Attitudes toward learning situation. This was measured by 7 items, one assessing