Determinants of Saudi EFL Learners’ Beliefs about Learning EFL

Abstract

Language learners’ beliefs constitute an individual difference variable that profoundly influences language-learning behavior and significantly contributes to the process and ultimate success of language learning. This article identifies the beliefs Saudi learners hold about learning English as a foreign language (EFL). The analysis first addresses Saudi EFL learners’ perceptions of English, followed by a discussion of Saudi EFL learners’ experiences with learning English. The discussion also addresses these learners’ expectations about studying English and concludes by pinpointing the importance of understanding the distinct language-learning beliefs of Saudi EFL learners and highlighting all factors that could affect these beliefs. Moreover, this conceptual article offers measures and progressive ideas to consider that will help Saudi EFL teachers reinforce more productive and insightful language beliefs that have a facilitative effect on language learning and keep Saudi EFL learners from developing debilitative conceptions of language-learning beliefs. This work also highlights several research directions and pedagogical implications.