Students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning the English language

Abstract The purpose of the study was to describe the students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in learning the English language at Instituto São João de Brito (ISJB), Kasait, Timor-Leste. The study aimed to answer the main problems: (1) What kind of motivation do the students use to learn English? (2) How motivated are the students to learn the English Language? To answer the research questions, the researchers applied a mixed-methods approach. The data were collected from 33 respondents using a questionnaire and an interview. The data gained were interpreted and analyzed descriptively. The quantitative findings show that the students’ intrinsic motivation was higher than extrinsic motivation, as rated with a mean of 4.22 out of 5. The extrinsic motivation was rated with a mean of 3.79, which is high. The qualitative findings revealed that the students took the English language as more than just an instrument for achieving academic goals. It was seen as an exciting language to learn. This study recognizes the importance of motivation to learn English and prompts future researchers to conduct similar research in various learning contexts.