Investigating Taiwanese Technological University Students' Beliefs about English Language Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences and similarities among technological university students' beliefs about English language learning. This research was a survey study. The instrument used to collect data was a modified version of Horwitz's (1987) Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI). Two hundred and thirteen technological university students entered into the study: seventy-seven students of Foreign Languages Department (FL), forty-eight students of Information Technology Department (IT), thirty-nine students of Leisure and Recreation Industry Management Department (LR), forty-nine students of Child Care and Education Department. The quantitative analysis of the questionnaires involved several statistical procedures using the SPSS program. The results indicated there have been differences in beliefs among program groups in four categories of BALLI (the difficulty of language learning, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies, and motivations and expectations). All four groups' beliefs have been found slightly different from each other and for some of the items; the students' responses have been trikingly contrastive. The present findings indicate that students hold a range of beliefs with varying degrees of validity; in some cases, the term “myth” might be a more accurate characterization. Some results reported here may surprise language teaching educators and teacher trainers; others probably confirm their experiences and intuitions. The present study proposed several pedagogical implications and suggestions for the instruction of technological university students' language learning.