Language attitudes of Vietnamese undergraduates towards English: an investigation at school of advanced studies of Ho Chi Minh City Open University

Abstract

The investigation reported in this paper is carried out with 444 undergraduates enrolled in the first semester of academic year 2014-2015, which seeks to examine language attitudes towards English language achievement and formation of ethnic identity of Vietnamese undergraduates at Ho Chi Minh City Open University (HCMCOU). The investigation surveys this topic by discussing the study of language attitudes, effects of language attitudes on language achievement, English in Vietnam and awareness of Vietnamese ethnic identity and issues about the relationship between language attitudes and language achievement. The questionnaire survey is conducted to examine students’ language attitudes, which is adapted from Axler et al. (1998) as cited in Liu & Zhao (2011). The results show that students hold positive attitudes towards English and are extrinsically and intrinsically motivated to learn English. They show their sense of Vietnamese patriotism in preserving linguistic and cultural identity on account of nearly 60 percent of wishing to learn Vietnamese well. Concurrently, they illustrate their appreciation of English status in light of 40 percent showing their preference to learn good English first.