Socio-political influences on EFL motivation and attitudes: comparative surveys of Korean high school students

Abstract

This paper investigates Korean high school students’ English learning motivation and attitudes. In this regard, the results of a 2002 study were compared with those of a 2006 study. Questionnaire data were obtained from a total of 1,037 high school students in a major city in South Korea, and the data were compared with those on the students’ English proficiency. Statistical analyses verified two distinctive Korean-specific constructs: competitive motivation and attitudes toward Americans among the participants. The results suggest that negative washback effects of the College Scholastic Ability Test in Korea and influences of peer group cohesion, mass media, and the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure play a crucial role in EFL motivation and attitudes among Korean high school students.