Language learning beliefs of Thai EFL university students: Variations related to achievement levels and subject majors

Abstract

© Centre for Language Studies National University of Singapore. The objective of this study was to determine whether there was any significant difference in terms of the beliefs about language learning among groups of students at different levels of English proficiency, with different age and gender, and majoring in different academic fields. Horwitz’s Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) was administered to Thai EFL university students (N = 532). In terms of two of the five factors, which were empirically identified by factor analysis in the author’s previous study, a significant difference was identified between groups of students with different levels of English language proficiency. Similarly, language learning beliefs were significantly different among groups of students majoring in different fields of study in terms of one factor. The findings suggest that language learning beliefs are different among the learners with different previous language learning experiences, which were reflected in the participants’ different proficiency levels and different subject majors.