Motivation in the ESP Classroom at the University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Motivation has been identified as one of the main factors affecting English language learning. As it has always been a fundamental concept in the study of language learning, this paper seeks to investigate motivation for learning English for specific purposes at the University of Banja Luka. The study examined the type of English language learning motivation of 264 undergraduates studying at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Faculty of Medicine, and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering where English is taught as English for Specific Purposes. A modified motivational questionnaire of 20 items was used. Items were adopted from a questionnaire already conducted by Vuković-Vojnović and Knežević; Äurović and SilaÅ¡ki. The questionnaire was updated with some additional general questions about the students and the course they attended. The main findings imply that the students are equally instrumentally and integratively motivated, with minor differences depending on the faculty and the subject status. Namely, most mechanical engineering students learn English because it is a compulsory subject. Besides them, a great number of students at the Faculty of Medicine, whose subject is also compulsory, find the grade to be the most important motivation. The results of the study are relevant and useful for the development and improvement of students' motivation. The paper also suggests possible solutions for the enhancement and improvement of ESP subject syllabi.