Understanding the Japanese University Students’ Motivation and Demotivation in Attending EFL Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the motivation and demotivation of Japanese university students in attending English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. The participants included 455 students who took English courses for the first semester of 2023 from two private universities in Japan. The data was collected using a five-point Likert scale motivation and demotivation survey comprised of 24 items and two open-ended questions through an online questionnaire. The results from the quantitative and qualitative strands indicated that the motivation of the respondents towards attending EFL classes is mainly extrinsic. The basis of extrinsic motivation comprised getting credit, getting good grades, and knowing the tips for the exam. In addition, Japanese university students showed low demotivation towards attending EFL classes based on teacher-related, class content-related, and personal factors. The thematic analysis revealed that the students have low expectations for success and lack of self-discipline. From a cultural perspective, these findings reveal that the Japanese tend to blame themselves rather than point fingers at others to maintain harmony even in their academic life. The findings of this study can be used by EFL instructors, school administrators, and curriculum developers to offer interventions intended to motivate the demotivated EFL students to improve class attendance and help Japanese university students achieve academic success.