This study investigated the motivation and attitudes of 81 male petroleum engineering undergraduates toward learning English at Hadhramout University of Sciences and Technology in Yemen. The results found that instrumental motivation, such as using English for career purposes, received the highest scores and was the primary motivation. Students had positive attitudes toward using English in Yemeni social and educational contexts but negative attitudes toward English-speaking cultures. The researchers concluded that instrumental motivation was the main driver and integration motivation had the least impact on students' English learning. However, the study was limited by only including male students. Future studies could use standardized tests and interviews with workplace English students to further understand motivation and attitudes.

1. Motivation And Attitudes Towards
Learning English: A Study Of
Petroleum Engineering
Undergraduates At Hadhramout
University Of Sciences And
Technology
1
Presenter: Yang, Hao-Ting (Tim)
Instructor: Dr. Pi-Ying Hsu
Date:2013.10.7

2. 2
Citation
Al-Tamimi, A., & Shuib, M. (2009). Motivation and attitudes
towards learning English: A study of petroleum engineering
undergraduates at Hadhramout University of Sciences and
Technology. GEMA: Online Journal of Language
Studies, 9(2), 29-55.

3. 3
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Results & Conclusion
Reflection
Future Study

4. 4
Introduction

5. 5
Hadhramout University for Science and Technology (HUST)
its petroleum engineering students have been described as
low-competent in the English language.
Background
Most of the petroleum graduates have been rejected when
applying to work at the oil companies.

6. 6
Purpose of study
This study aims at investigating petroleum engineering
students’ motivation and attitudes towards learning the
English language.

7. 7
Research Question
Which are the three types of motivation (instrumental,
integrative and personal) could be the primary source of
petroleum engineering students’ motivation towards learning
the English language?
What kind of type of attitude that petroleum engineering
students have towards learning the English language?

8. 8
Literature Review

9. 9
The choices people make as to what experiences or goals
they will approach or avoid, and the degree of effort they
exert in that respect.
(Keller, 1983)
Motivation
Students with higher levels of motivation will do better
than students with lower levels.
(Gardner, 2006)

10. 10
An inference which is made on the basis of a complex of
beliefs about the attitude object.
(Likert, 1932)
Attitudes
Positive language attitudes let learner have positive
orientation towards learning English.
(Karahan, 2007)

11. 11
Difficulties with the subject (English) aspects such as
vocabulary, structures and spelling were found to be the
most demotivating factors for the students.
(Oashoa, 2006)
Latest idea

12. 12
Methodology

13. Participants
13
81 males
Academic year 2006-2007
HUST
(Hadhramout University of
Sciences and Technology)

14. Instruments
14

15. Data Analysis
15
Quantitative
•Descriptive
statistics
Qualitative
•Content
analysis
method

16. 16
Results & Conclusion

17. 17
Which are the three types of motivation (instrumental,
integrative and personal) could be the primary source of
petroleum engineering students’ motivation towards learning
the English language?

18. Questionnaire result
18
Instrumental motivation (items 1, 2, 3, and 4) received the
highest mean scores, of all the subjects' results, (overall
mean=4.5000)

19. Interview result
19
Instrumental reasons were considered the primary source
of the students’ motivation towards learning the English
language.

20. 20
What kind of type of attitude that petroleum engineering
students have towards learning the English language?

21. Questionnaire result
21
The majority of the subjects (95%) had great desires
towards speaking English well like fluent speakers.

22. Interview result
22
The students have positive attitudes towards learning the
English language and negative attitudes toward the culture
of the English speaking world.

23. 23
Conclusion
Instrument motivation was the primary motivation.
Integration reasons had the least impact in students’ English
motivation.
Positive attitudes toward:
The English language
The use of English in the Yemeni social context
The use of English in the Yemeni educational context
The culture of the English speaking world as
represented by English-language films

24. Reflection
24

25. 25
All the participated subjects (n=81) were males as there were no
female students in the department. Therefore, the generalization
from the findings should be made with caution.

26. 26
Future Study

27. 27
Questionnaire
Attitude/Motivation
Test Battery (AMTB)
(Gardner,1985)
Participants
Around 35 students in
workplace English
class
Data Analysis Descriptive statistics
Strongly
Disagree
Moderately
Disagree
Slightly
Disagree
Slightly
Agree
Moderately
Agree
Strongly
Agree
I wish I could speak
many foreign
languages perfectly.
I don’t pay much
attention to the
feedback I receive in
my English class.
Learning English is
really great.

28. 28
Participants
Around 5 students in
workplace English
class
Data Analysis
Content analysis
method
1. Their reasons for learning English
2. Their interest to attend more training
courses in English
3. Their attitudes towards the English language and
towards the culture of the English speaking world

29. THANK YOU!
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