EFL students’ attitudes and motivation towards English: evidence from an Indonesian Islamic university

Chothibul Umam; Anisatul Bahiroh; Mohammad Muhyidin; Nurul Aini; Minh Huu Doan

doi:10.33365/jeltl.v6i2.2873

Chothibul Umam Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syekh Wasil Kediri
Anisatul Bahiroh Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syekh Wasil Kediri
Mohammad Muhyidin Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syekh Wasil Kediri
Nurul Aini Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Syekh Wasil Kediri
Minh Huu Doan Danang Sport University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v6i2.2873

Abstrak

Motivation plays an important role in shaping students’ engagement with English, particularly in higher education where learners encounter diverse academic, professional, and social demands. This study examined EFL students’ attitudes and motivation towards English in an Indonesian Islamic higher education context. Using a descriptive quantitative survey design, data were collected from 155 English Department students enrolled in the second, fourth, and sixth semesters at a State Islamic University in Indonesia. The instrument was an adapted version of Gardner’s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB), comprising 32 items measured on a four-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were used to identify students’ overall motivational profile, attitudes and motivational orientations towards English, and external sources of motivation. The findings showed a generally positive but moderate level of motivation (M = 2.91). Students particularly demonstrated strong enjoyment of English, achievement aspirations, and perceptions of its usefulness for employment, technological development, and future goals. Among external sources, parental motivation was strongest (M = 2.99), followed by environmental/social motivation (M = 2.84) and teacher-related motivation (M = 2.78). The findings highlight the multidimensional and socially situated nature of EFL motivation in Indonesian Islamic higher education.

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