An Investigation into English-Majored Students’ Motivation in Speaking English

Educational psychologists are particularly interested in motivation because of its critical role in student learning. How students can be active in their learning would affect their outcomes during their educational journey. Thus, this study aims to explain types of motivation in language learning and then sheds light on how such motivation pushes and stimulates students in English speaking, concurrently digging deeper into influencing factors on students’ motivation. Findings from the survey questionnaire reveal that the students mainly have extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. This could be explained by the students’ focus on the requirements of jobs and the desire to experience new things. Besides, some factors that influence the students' motivation in English language learning include the learning environment, limited knowledge, and teachers’ pedagogical strategies. The semi-structured interview offers a deeper understanding of the students’ experience about how motivation affects their speaking skills as well as how some factors are suggested for higher motivation. Hence, enhancing English-majored students' proficiency, especially in speaking English fluently, is the final goal of the study. From such a vantage point, some motivational strategies are recommended for English-speaking classes for both majored students and non-majored ones.