This study investigates Taiwanese university students' English learning orientation from the perspective of various important L2 motivation concepts (from Gardner's integrativeness/instrumentality to Dörnyei's L2 motivational self system) and the notion of English as an international language. The uniqueness also lies in its comparison and contrast of both day and night school students' motivation for studying English. A total of 267 undergraduate students from a science and technology university in New Taipei City, Taiwan, participated in this survey study. The results show that the majority of the participants studied English for travel, instrumental and integrative orientations, as well as intrinsic motivation and the ideal L2 self, but not for external pressure and the ought-to L2 self. No significant difference was found between day and night school students' motivation for studying English. The term "integrativeness/integrative orientation", which has been rooted in L2 motivation research for decades, is re-examined in this study, especially with the current important status of the English language in the world. This paper will consider possible implications for English language professionals to reconceptualise and re-approach EFL learners' motivation to study English.

This study aims to explore university English teachers' perceptions of the role of English today in Taiwan from two aspects – the ownership of English and acquiring target language culture in the English language classroom. The concept of English as an international language (EIL) or English as a lingua franca (ELF) has been discussed extensively in the ELT field for many years. Theoretically the concept promotes the idea that English is no longer a possession of any particular English-speaking countries and that there are many different varieties of Englishes. Since teachers are an important – if not the most important – influence in the language classroom, their perceptions are likely to affect the students profoundly. In spite of the theoretical discussion of EIL, in reality, what do university English teachers in Taiwan think about the role of English today? In the study, five experienced teachers were invited for a focus group interview to discuss these issues. The results suggest that university English teachers in Taiwan are facing a dilemma and struggle to follow the notion of EIL (or ELF) in the classroom.

Culture is an important element in the foreign language classroom. Some scholars believe that culture is the fifth language skill along with the four traditional skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) of English. Traditionally, learning English required learners to acquire some target language cultural knowledge (e.g. British culture and/or American culture) especially in the context of English as a foreign language. However, with the increasingly important status of English as an international language, the ownership of English has been extensively discussed. Scholars have argued that English is no longer in the custody of any particular country or community. Therefore, whether we should address target language culture in the English classroom or not has become a matter of debate. The study aims to explore EFL learners' perceptions of the ownership of English and acquiring cultural knowledge in the classroom through in-depth interviews. In total, twenty undergraduates, including both English-major and non-English-major students, from three different universities in Central Taiwan participated in the study. The results show that the majority of the participants reject the notion that English belongs to particular countries in today's world. In terms of acquiring cultural knowledge, they believe that it is necessary to have some target language cultural knowledge (e.g. British culture and/or American culture) in the English classroom. However, apart from the target language cultural knowledge, they would also like to explore various cultures worldwide, using English as a communication tool to become global citizens. Therefore, rather than debate whether to teach a specific culture or language model in the English classroom, it is perhaps more meaningful and important to develop a language learner's intercultural communicative competence. These findings provide some insightful implications for English language teaching professionals and educators in terms of teaching culture in the English classroom.

This study explores the changes in Taiwanese university students' English-learning motivation and the causes of these changes. The emphasis herein is on a comparison and contrast of both English major and non-major students in three different universities in Taiwan. In the study, a qualitative approach (20 semi-structured interviews) was used. The results show that the majority (19 out of 20) of the university students in this study have experienced motivational changes in their English-learning process. The factors which changed both English major and non-major students' English-learning motivation share similarities in many ways. In other words, students' majors do not affect the changes in their motivation with respect to their English classroom experience. As pointed out by the university students in this study, influences such as teachers, external pressure, exams, group dynamics and social experiences, were responsible for the changes. This paper will consider possible implications of this insight for English language teaching professionals.

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