Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ed.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Language, Literacy, ED.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education
Major Professor
Vonzell Agosto, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Veselina Lambrev, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Tony Tan, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Feng Hao, Ph.D.
Keywords
Language acquisition, International students, L2 motivation
Abstract
This study investigates the motivations to learn English among first-year Chinese undergraduates enrolled at an American university in the southeastern United States and it is essentially grounded in theories such as Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory. It addresses a central research question about how is motivations to learn English shaped by external and internal factors among the first-year undergraduate Chinese students? Recognizing that many Chinese students experience low levels of interest and confidence in English, the study explores internal and external factors that shape motivations, including emotional engagement, cultural and academic expectations, and supportive roles played by teachers and parents.
A qualitative research design was used to conduct individual interviews with six first year Chinese undergraduates. Open ended questions were used to direct the interviews and to get participants to share their experiences, their perceptions of motivations and what they experienced in performing language tasks. It involved data analysis aiming to uncover the thematic patterns in regards to participants' self-beliefs, their goal orientations, what their classroom experiences were like and how they were influenced by their families. The findings suggest that instructional methods are not the only motivations driver, but personal factors and contextual influences, such as teacher feedback, parental expectations, and cultural adaptation also affected motivations. Students who felt academically and emotionally supported were more likely to develop and build a solid commitment to English study, which would serve as a useful weapon towards academic opportunity, cultural adaptation and future career expectations. The primary takeaway emerging from my interviews is the dynamic interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Essentially, the students’ personal enthusiasm for learning English continuously intersected with external factors. This interplay shaped their day-to-day motivations and evolving sense of commitment.
This study provides practical implications to educators, administrators and parents who wish to improve the English instruction and student engagement by emphasizing the need for cohesive support which enables autonomy and minimizes negative emotional experiences including frustration and anxiety. In general, the paper underscores the importance of getting both internal enthusiasm and external support to enable Chinese first year students in overcoming language barriers and prospering in an English-speaking academic setting.
Scholar Commons Citation
Chen, Yunyu, "Motivations to Learn English among First-Year Undergraduate Chinese Students" (2025). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10930
