A Questionnaire-based Study on Chinese University Students’ Demotivation to Learn English

Abstract

This paper, adopting questionnaire survey method, investigated 367 non-key local university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ demotivation to learn English. The collected data revealed that there were two main categories of demotivators: internal factors (lack of intrinsic interest, experience of failure and lack of confidence, and unclear study goal) and external factors (teaching material, teaching process and teaching content, significant others, teachers’ teaching competence and attitude of teachers, the relationship between teachers and students, teaching facilities and teaching environment). External factors are found to be more influential than internal ones in the participants’ demotivation to learn English. The current study adds to the literature in that unclear study goal is an important demotivator in Chinese local non-key university EFL students’ English study. The findings of this study will enrich the research of demotivation to learn English, and to provide an empirical basis for the needs analysis in English class and curriculum reform, as well as to provide reference for implementing central and local education policies.