Factors that Motivate Chinese Tour Guides and Thai Tour Guides When Learning The English Language
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/abacodijournal.2023.12Keywords:
foreign language, second language, motivation, tour guides, non-EFL contextAbstract
Motivation has long been recognized as one of the determinant and exuberant factors in FL (foreign language) learning process and achievement. English, for its wide use across various walks, has long been inexorably viewed as the global language and becomes a basic educational skill required alongside “literacy and numeracy” all over the world. As a result, the major line of research in the field of FL learning and teaching has been prominently focusing on English. To keep in line with the trend that EFL (English as a foreign language) learner is often the focus of FL motivation research, this study aims to provide insights to FL motivation research by offering both quantitative and qualitative observation of a specific occupational group in a cross-cultural context. A mixed-method approach was employed, administering and collecting 68 self-report questionnaires and conducting 10 semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that all the four motivational factors’ levels studied were rated by “high” both groups, ranking from the highest “instrumental”, to “the need for achievement”, “self-confidence” and “integrative” respectively. Despite that the instrumentality of both groups’ motivation at the beginning is approximately the same, the component “self-efficacy” - such as persistence and the confidence in self to master a foreign language - plays a bigger role in Thai tour guides’ learning outcomes while Chinese tour guides is more driven and sustained by their enjoyment and the sense of achievement in their enjoyment. Pedagogical recommendations for motivational teaching of the English language can also be drawn from the findings, in relation to EFL learning environment with reflective learning experiences guided by corresponding monitoring and instruction along the process.
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