MOTIVATIONAL AND AFFECTIVE FACTORS IN FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH COURSES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

The present study examined the relationships between satisfaction, motivation, boredom, anxiety and learning expectations in Functional English courses with 197 undergraduate students of a university in Pakistan. The study employed a 30-item Likert questionnaire and descriptive, correlational, regression, and group-comparison analysis techniques based on the control-value theory and recent studies on foreign language learner emotions. The results indicated that satisfaction, motivation, and learning expectations were highly positively correlated, and boredom and anxiety were negatively correlated with these variables. There was also a positive relationship between preference for interactive, career-oriented, and technology-supported activities and more positive learner experiences. Male students reported higher boredom and anxiety than female students, and perceived proficiency gains were correlated with higher satisfaction, motivation, and expectations. The findings of this study recommends that pedagogies that are emotionally supportive, interactive and career relevant should be the focus of Functional English instruction in higher education.