Exploring Learners’ Attitudes and Motivation towards Learning English as a Foreign Language: The Case of 3rd Grade Primary Schools in Hammam Bouhdjar - Ain Temouchent

Abstract

The implementation of English in primary schools in the current year 2022-2023 opens the chance for young learners to learn English as a foreign language. The current study aims at investigating the pupils’ and teachers’ acceptance of this decision willing to examine specifically the learners’ attitudes and motivation toward learning this language. The investigation took place in Ain Temouchent city exactly in Hammam Bouhdjar primary schools: Bekhada Baroudi, Bouchareb Boualem and Benagaz Miloud. The current investigation highlights two important aspects. The first emphasises the pupils’ attitudes toward learning English as a foreign language and the second on the teacher's role in influencing learners develop positive attitudes. In order to test the two hypotheses, a questionnaire and an interview have been conducted in the aim of completing the research work. The questionnaire was devoted for the pupils and the second research instrument was structured with the teachers of English. The present dissertation encompasses three chapters; each one providing a particular concern. The first chapter reveals a theoretical overview about the term attitudes and motivation in learning and teaching English as a foreign language, the second deals with a methodological overview and data collection tools used in the research paper. The third chapter is concerned with an analysis and a discussion of the data gathered from the research instruments namely the questionnaire and the structured interview, in addition to providing several recommendations and suggestions. The results reveal that Hammam Bouhdjar primary pupils have positive attitudes toward the implementation of English this year in primary schools as well as their teachers. Findings show that pupils are highly motivated and curious to learn English, thus, the stated hypotheses are strongly confirmed.