Attitudes and Motivations towards the English Language among Iranian Intermediate ESL learners

Among different factors contributing to foreign language learning, affective variables such as attitudes,orientations, motivation, and anxiety are of paramount importance. Among these various factors, learners attitude towards language learning is considered as one of the key factors in motivating the learners to learn that language. Thisstudy tried to find the students’ motivation for learning English as a Second Language (ESL) in selected public and private schools in Tonekabon, Iran. It sought to ascertain the level of students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in language learning; examine the motivational patterns of Iranian elementary school students studying English as aforeign language; and the motivation important for the student learning English. The high motivation of students in English language learning in both public and private schools bring them to a successful in their language learning. Attitudes toward English learning vary among learners of English as Second Language (ESL). The present study was conducted in Ramsar, Iran aiming at investigating high school ESL students attitudes toward English learning using Gardner s Attitude/Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) (Gardner, 1985). Therefore, a sample including 110 male (N=30) and female (N=80) secondary school ESL students were selected. The study’s findings were 1) the levels of Parental Encouragement; 2) the levels of Motivational Intensity; 3) Attitudes toward learning English; and 4) Attitudes Toward English-Speaking People in public secondary school

Keywords:

Attitude , Motivation , English as Second Language (ESL)