Attitudinal and Motivational Factors: Performance, Attitude and Motivation Change in a Mexican University Context

Abstract

Considerable research has evidenced the important influence of attitudes on the language learner under the umbrella of motivation. Similarly, several studies have highlighted the close relationship between motivation and performance. Yet little research has examined the relationship between attitude, performance and change of attitude in the English as a Foreign Language setting. This thesis focuses on undergraduates’ attitudes towards learning English in the Mexican context, specifically in Southeast Mexico. Despite the closeness of Mexico to the United States, there has been a lack of studies researching students’ attitudes towards learning English.

This study’s research questions aimed to explore undergraduates’ attitudes towards learning English, the factors that influence such attitudes, the relationship between attitudes and performance, the existence and power of factors predicting attitudinal changes, and the presence of such changes over time. In order to answer the research questions, the study adopted a longitudinal mixed- method approach. The field work took place at the beginning and end of the academic year 2014-2015. Attitudes were collected by pre- and post- questionnaires. Performance was evaluated by using the University’s Institutional English Diagnostic Test (EDII) results of 704 newly admitted students and the final year scores of 161 initial students. At the beginning of the students’ second academic year in 2015, 12 secondyear students were interviewed.

The findings of this study suggest that four salient attitudinal factors affected performance. They are 1) EFL attitudes, 2) socio-cultural impact, 3) linguistic exposure, and 4) classroom experience. Linguistic exposure, and Socio-cultural impact were among the predictors of students’ performance. Although most students showed initial positive attitudes towards learning English, findings also indicated that attitudes could change over time based on attitudinal/motivational factors. These insights have implications for possible changes with regards to English curriculum and lesson planning in the institution of higher education, but also for continuing research on attitude change in other institutions in Mexico and in the ELT community at large.

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ORCID for Ying Zheng: orcid.org/0000-0003-2574-0358

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