Investigation into factors causing demotivation in learning English speaking skills of first-year non-English major students at Quy Nhon University and solutions

Abstract

This article reports on research into the problems that non-English major freshmen at Quy Nhon University face when they lose interest in learning English speaking skills. The subjects were 200 first-year non-English majors belonging to non-English majors such as Economics, Accounting, Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Food Technology, and Construction Engineering etc. at Quy Nhon University. The questionnaire, which consists of ten closed-ended and open-ended questions, was utilized to collect the data. The findings suggest that first-year non-English majors face many factors causing demotivation in learning English speaking skills. The most common one is related to learning attitudes. Others are related to speaking practice opportunities, classroom climate, facilities, and teacher’s competence and performances. The last and least problematic one is teaching materials. Based on the survey results, the research team also proposed some improvement solutions that most students and instructors agreed upon.