Factors Influencing English Learning Motivation: A Study of the Perspectives of Non-English Majors at a Public University in Hanoi, Vietnam

The purpose of this study was to explore the internal and external factors that motivate university students to learn English. The subjects were 30 non-English majors at a university in Hanoi, Vietnam, who had completed at least three semesters of university-level English. All of the students participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews revealed that extrinsic orientation, teachers, and peers substantially improved learning persistence among the students, while unattractive learning materials and a lack of authentic communicative activities contributed to learning demotivation. The study also provided insightful recommendations to enhance student motivation in the EFL classroom.