A Qualitative Analysis of Motivational Factors and Learning Challenges Impacting Proficiency Among Yemeni Female EFL Undergraduates at Thamar University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1602.18Keywords:
EFL proficiency, motivation, learning challenges, qualitative research, female undergraduatesAbstract
It has been asserted that motivation is a necessary factor in second/foreign language acquisition, as it significantly influences learners' initiation, persistence, and achievement in studies. This paper examines the primary motivations of undergraduate students for acquiring English as a foreign language and how different socio-cultural factors influence these motivations. The study also discusses various interconnected factors that impede proper language acquisition among students. The research employed an interview-based ethnographic framework with 16 female undergraduates from the first and second years of the English language department at the College of Arts, Thamar University. The thematic analysis of participant responses revealed diverse motivational orientations, which indicates that motivation toward learning should be treated as more complex and dynamic. While intrinsic motivation was the dominant form, several students reported extrinsic or blended motivational patterns. A few also described a shift in motivation over time. The analysis also suggested a series of recurring challenges that emerged under six general headings: linguistic, practical, cognitive, communicative, psychological, and structural. Most respondents had multiple issues, and so their barriers are interrelated and cumulative. This research can be of help to curriculum planners, teachers, and government officials who address the need to enhance EFL teaching for other female students in similar settings. The study also promotes more student-friendly and culturally competent language instruction by pointing out the driving forces as well as the obstacles to learning.
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