The Influence of Motivation and Fear in The Learning of A Foreign Language

Vol. 13, No. 6, 2023, Pg


Background of Study
In an increasingly interdependent world, fluency in foreign languages is no longer considered merely advantageous, but has become an imperative skill for accessing foreign technology, and participating in global politics, security, trade, and education. The ability to speak a foreign language is now a valuable economic commodity, requiring appropriate abilities, knowledge, skills, and attitudes to comprehend and communicate effectively (Zubairi & Sarudin, 2009). As a result, educational leaders have been emphasizing the critical need to foster foreign language competency among students.
Despite the increasing demand for the teaching and learning of foreign languages, many Malaysian graduates face difficulties when it comes to acquiring the languages. They find the language complex (in terms of its syntax and semantics) and expressing oneself properly in it is a common challenge (Mansor et al., 2022). Individual and social/political factors also contribute towards the difficulty in learning the language. Among the factors involved is the influence of fear in learning a foreign language, which is often ignored or not openly discussed (Tachinamutu & Shah, 2018).
Fear can arise in the context of learning a foreign language due to factors such as a lack of confidence in one's abilities, fear of making mistakes or being judged by others, or anxiety about the unfamiliarity of the language and culture. Nevertheless, an indication of fear is a sign of weakness in which many tend not to disclose. There is a huge possibility that such condition is responsible for students' attitude towards the language before attributing to students' lack of language learning ability, inadequate background knowledge and poor motivation. This fear is considered to hinder the language learning process and thus it needs to be eradicated to make language learning becomes more convenient, enjoyable, and interesting.
Motivation, on the hand, is a critical factor that has a significant impact on the process of learning a foreign language. When a learner is motivated, they are more likely to engage with the language, practice regularly, and persist even in the face of difficulties, which can lead to successful language acquisition and improved language proficiency (Seven, 2020). It can also affect the quality of learning, as motivated learners tend to be more focused, attentive, and proactive in seeking out learning opportunities (Steinmayr et al., 2019). They may also be more willing to take risks and experiment with the language, which can help them to develop greater fluency and accuracy.
Both motivation and fear can significantly impact a person's ability to learn a foreign language. For example, a highly motivated learner may be more willing to put in the time and effort needed to master the language, while a learner who is overcome with fear may struggle to practice and make progress. Understanding how these factors influence language learning can help educators and learners alike to create effective strategies for language acquisition. Therefore, there is a need to study the influence of motivation and fear in the learning of foreign language in the context of Malaysian students.

Statement of Problem
English is well known as one of the world's most influential language. It is a mode of contact between countries that overcomes disparities in trade, industry, culture, history, and politics. The globalisation of the English language has increased the demand for good English communication abilities. Language anxiety is not a new phenomenon. Language anxiety has dominated a large body of study in recent decades as a distinct characteristic of language learning. Language anxiety in second or foreign language teaching has long been recognised as a barrier. Language anxiety, in other terms, is a negative emotional condition that can affect how well the target language is comprehended or learned. Language anxiety is recognized in foreign language learning as an influential element (Baş & Özcan, 2018;Dörnyei, 2014;Eddie & Aziz, 2020;Goh & Aziz, 2020;Gardner & MacIntyre, 1992). An extensive amount of research has been done on linguistic anxiety over the last few decades. According to earlier studies, anxiety can hamper the output and enhancement of foreign languages. Language learners frequently encounter difficulties when acquiring a new language.

Objective of the Study and Research Questions
This study is done to explore perception of learners on their use of learning strategies. Specifically, this study is done to answer the following questions; • How does motivation influence foreign language learning? • How does fear of learning a foreign language influence learners?
• Is there a relationship between motivation and fear for learning a foreign language?

Motivation for learning a foreign language
Motivation is a complex psychological phenomenon that plays a significant role in language learning and is regarded as the most influential factor (Gardner, 1985in Quan, 2014. Due to these two reasons, motivation has been a focal point of research in the field of applied linguistics. Intrinsic/extrinsic motivation Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are two different types of motivational forces that drive behaviour. Intrinsic motivation originates from within an individual, without any external rewards. This type of motivation is self-regulating, autonomous, and driven by a desire to engage in an activity for its own sake. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is driven by an anticipation of external rewards, such as praise, recognition, or monetary incentives. The concept of locus of control is closely related to intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Individuals with an internal locus of control take responsibility for their own lives and are self-motivated, whereas those with an external locus of control attribute their success or failure to external factors beyond their control. To cultivate internal locus and self-motivation, individuals must be willing to relinquish the safety of making excuses and take responsibility for their decisions and actions (Tachinamutu & Shah, 2018). While both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are important for learning, intrinsic motivation is often viewed as superior because it is the driving force behind achieving self-actualization. Educators should recognize the type of motivation and its sources to meet the specific needs of their students.

Instrumental/integrative motivation
According to Rod Ellis's book on Second Language Acquisition (p715), Gardner and Lambert differentiated between "instrumental motivation," which is when a learner has a practical goal, such as passing an exam, using the language at work or on holiday, or understanding a foreign culture, and "integrative motivation," which is when a learner wishes to identify with the culture of the second language group. Both researchers suggested that an integrative orientation is more likely to sustain long-term motivation for language learning compared to instrumental motivation. It is important to recognize the cultural beliefs and attitudes that influence motivation, and to consider the integrative-instrumental continuum. Ultimately, the most effective approach to language learning may depend on individual learners and their unique contexts.

Fear of learning a Foreign language
The fear of learning a foreign language, also known as xenoglossophobia. It is a type of anxiety or phobia that individuals experience when faced with the prospect of learning and speaking a new language. People with this fear may feel overwhelmed, intimidated, or even paralyzed by the thought of attempting to communicate in a foreign language. Some may avoid opportunities to learn or practice speaking it altogether. This fear can be caused by a variety of factors, including past negative experiences with language learning, fear of making mistakes or sounding foolish, or a lack of confidence in one's ability to learn a new language.

Past Studies on Motivation to learn a foreign Language
Many studies have been done to investigate the motivation to learn a foreign language. A study by Zubairi & Sarudin (2009), which examined the motivation of Malaysian students to learn a foreign language, found out that the students were highly motivated to learn the language for both extrinsic and intrinsic reasons. In relation to that, Rethinasamy et al (2021) study indicated that a stronger inclination towards integrative motivations were prevalent among Malaysian foreign language learners compared to instrumental motivations.
There have been many past studies on motivation to learn foreign languages. Research by Zubairi & Sarudin (2009) aimed to explore the motivational factors of Malaysian students when learning a foreign language. To gather data, a mixed-methods approach was used, including a survey questionnaire, document analysis, and focus group discussions. The survey, which consisted of 16 items, was administered to over 500 students from two universities in Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). The data collected from the survey was analyzed using Rasch and descriptive techniques to identify significant patterns in the responses. The results showed that students from both universities were motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors when learning a foreign language. However, the t-test revealed a significant difference in the motivation levels between the two universities. UKM students were motivated to learn a foreign language significantly higher than UiTM students for extrinsic reasons, while UiTM students were more motivated to learn a foreign language for intrinsic reasons significantly higher than UKM students. This is due to the policy practiced by UKM in which students were not required to take foreign language courses to graduate compared to UiTM students who are obligated to do so as a requirement for graduation. All in all, the data presented in the study indicates that mandatory foreign language requirements might have had a positive impact on the students' intrinsic motivation. Additionally, acquiring proficiency in a foreign language offers graduates more than just access to up-to-date technology and information. It also provides them with an additional edge in an ever-growing, diverse work environment, where individuals proficient in multiple languages have greater opportunities. The significance of foreign languages becomes even more apparent in a globalized world, where the development and progress of a nation often rely on the acquisition and dissemination of foreign technology.
Next, the study by Rethinasamy et al (2021) delved into the attitudes and motivations of Malaysian undergraduate students who were studying Japanese as a foreign language. The sample group consisted of 150 students who enrolled in a Malaysian university and taking Japanese as their third language. A survey was utilized, which comprised of four sections addressing various aspects such as the participants' demographic details, beliefs regarding language skills, their self-efficacy beliefs in relation to language skills, and the reasons behind their choice to learn the Japanese language. The outcomes of the study revealed that most of the students perceived listening and speaking to be more challenging skills compared to reading and writing. Additionally, a large number of students lacked confidence in their ability to speak in Japanese. Although the students cited both integrative and instrumental reasons for learning the language, the former appeared to be more important. To cater to the students' aspirations, it is essential to incorporate both integrative and instrumental-oriented learning activities. However, there should be a slight emphasis on integrative activities. For instance, integrative motivated students can benefit from texts related to the history of Japanese language, food, clothing, and festivals. On the other hand, instrumentally motivated students would find value in work-related situations and tasks such as formal conversations and composing concise emails. These adjustments in pedagogy would augment the students' engagement and foster a more profound interest in the language. Hence, a crucial aspect for achieving success in learning a foreign language is the identification of various motivations and their combinations. It is important to note that individual language learners may have distinct variables that can influence the outcome of their foreign language acquisition.

Past Studies on Fear of learning a foreign language
Many studies have been done to investigate the fear of learning foreign language. According to Rahmat (2020), fear of learning a foreign language can snowball into other performance and achievement. Fakhruddin et al (2022) findings interestingly revealed that learners developed fear and nervousness when they were incapable to identify what the instructors were telling or any words expressed by the educators in the target language. Furthermore, learners compared their low language proficiency with their colleagues which indicates low self-esteem. They also experienced troubled when having to respond to questions that they were not ready in advance. Lastly, learners feel concerned about the possibility of failing in their foreign language class. This study suggests that a strong support system involving language educators play an important role to ensure that fear in foreign language learning could be avoided or improved.
In a study by Rahmat (2020), findings reveal that the communication apprehension that students portray, can snowball to learners fearing taking test and getting negative evaluation and then this fear may extend to fearing the foreign language classes. There are 902 number of respondents in this study. This research used the instrument by Horwitz (1986) who developed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. There were 7 items on demographic profile, 8 items for communication apprehension, 5 items for fear of test anxiety. There were also 9 items of fear of negative evaluation, and items on fear of language classes. Findings revealed that the communication apprehension that students portray, can snowball to learners fearing taking test and getting negative evaluation and then this fear may extend to fearing the foreign language classes Fakhruddin et al (2022) in their findings, conclude that, the data analysis from this study revealed intriguing results in examining language learners' anxiety over learning a foreign language. First, the research on communication apprehension revealed that the majority of language learners experienced "fright" when they were unable to grasp what the instructor was saying in the target language. Additionally, they experienced "nervousness" when they could not grasp what the teacher stated. Regarding negative evaluation, the majority of students believed that their classmates were superior to them in terms of language acquisition, which demonstrates that these students had poor self-esteem among their peers. The implication of this study, show that when instructing in language classes, foreign language teachers and educators should consider and pay attention to foreign language anxiety arousals. Particularly, language instructors should assist their pupils by giving more encouraging comments. Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study. This study is rooted from two main concepts and they are (a) motivation to begin learning and also (b) factors that cause fear of learning a foreign language. Learners embark on learning a foreign language based on their chosen motives. Then, to keep them motivated to stay, they need to enjoy what they are learning and also feel at ease with the learning activities (Gardner, 2001). Gardner's (2001) theory on motivation has a strong influence on language learning. However, sometimes, fear can get in the way of learning the foreign language. According to Rahmat (2020), fear of learning a foreign language can snowball into other performance and achievement. According to Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope (1986), fear of learning a foreign language can stem from (i) communication apprehension, (ii) fear of negative evaluation and (iii) test anxiety. Communication apprehension in learning a foreign language is an emotional state usually expressed by the learner when they feel anxious in the actual communication using the target language. Next, learners of foreign language may initially fear negative evaluation. This fear can stem from lack of confidence and may escalate to more snowballing failure of using the target language. Finally, learning a foreign language can put pressure on the learners when the people around them expect them to perform well in the target language.

Methodology
This quantitative study is done to explore motivation factors for learning among undergraduates. A purposive sample of 163 participants responded to the survey. The instrument used is a 5 Likert-scale survey and is rooted from Gardner (2001) Horwitz & Cope (1986) to reveal the variables in table 1 below. The survey has 3 sections. Section A has items on demographic profile. Section B has 11 items on motivation to learn and section C has 33 items on fear of learning a foreign language.  Table 2 Reliability of Survey Table 2 shows the reliability of the survey. The analysis shows a Cronbach alpha of .882, thus, revealing a good reliability of the instrument chosen/used. Further analysis using SPSS is done to present findings to answer the research questions for this study.

Findings
The data collected from questionnaires are reported in this chapter. Hotel & Management 13% Table 4 shows the distribution of university respondents by faculties. Out of 163 respondents, it is found that the Faculty of Accountancy had the highest number of respondents which is 69 or 42.0%. However, 29 people equivalent to 18% of the respondents were from the Faculty of Business, followed by the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies with 24 respondents which equivalent to 15%. The Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management is 21 respondents equal to 13%. The Faculty of Art and Design has 20 respondents equivalent to 12%.

Findings for Motivation
This section presents analysed to answer research question 1-How does motivation influence foreign language learning?  Table 5 presents the means for motivation. A majority of respondents responded positively that "I make sure I attend all the classes without fail" with 4.70. The respondents also reported that "if I do not understand, I will ask my friends" with 4.50 and "if I do not understand, I will ask my teacher" with 4.0 score.

Findings for Fear of learning a foreign language
This section presents analysed to answer research question 2-How does fear of learning a foreign language influence learners? In the context of this study, fear of language learning is measured by (i) communication apprehension , (ii) fear of negative evaluation and (iii) test anxiety. 3.4 CAQ9I get nervous when I don't understand every word the language teacher says.

i.Communication Apprehension
3.2 CAQ10I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you have to learn to speak a foreign language.
3.3 CAQ11I would probably feel comfortable around native speakers of the foreign language.

3.4
The mean scores for communication apprehension can be seen on Table 6. A majority of the respondents reported "I feel confident when I speak Japanese in my Japanese class" with 3.6 score. Furthermore, they felt "I would probably feel comfortable around native speakers of the foreign language." with 3.4 and "I get nervous when I don't understand every word the language teacher says." with 3.2.
ii. Fear of Negative Evaluation Table 7 Mean for Fear of Negative Evaluation STATEMENT/ QUESTION FNEQ1 I do not worry about making mistakes in language class. 3.4 FNEQ2 I keep thinking that the other students are better at language than I am. 3.9 FNEQ3 It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my language class. 3.2 FNEQ4 I am afraid that my language teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make.
2.8 FNEQ5 I always feel that the other students speak the foreign language better than I do. 3.8 FNEQ6 I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak the foreign language.
3.2 FNEQ7 I get nervous when the language teacher asks questions which I haven't prepared in advance.
3.7 Table 7 represents the mean scores for fear of negative evaluation. A majority of the respondents reported "I keep thinking that the other students are better at language than I am" with 3.9 score. Furthermore, they also felt "It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in my language class" and "I am afraid that the other students will laugh at me when I speak the foreign language" with a mean score of 3.2. The lowest score recorded for fear of negative evaluation is "I am afraid that my language teacher is ready to correct every mistake I make" with 2.8 score.
iii. Test Anxiety Table 8 Means for Test Anxiety STATEMENT/QUESTION TAQ1I tremble when I know that I'm going to be called on in language class.
3.3 TAQ2It wouldn't bother me at all to take more foreign language classes 3.4 TAQ3During language class, I find myself thinking about things that have nothing to do with the course.

3
TAQ4I am usually at ease during my tests in my language class.
3.4 TAQ5I worry about the consequences of failing my foreign language class 3.9 TAQ6I don't understand why some people get so upset over foreign language class.
3.1 TAQ7In language class, I can get so nervous I forget things I know.
3.4 TAQ8Even if I am well prepared for language class, I feel anxious about it 3.5 TAQ9I often feel like not going to my language class.
2.1 TAQ10I can feel my heart pounding when I'm going to be called on in language class. 3.2 TAQ11The more I study for a language test, the more confused I get.
2.4 TAQ12I don't feel pressure to prepare very well for language class.
3.2 TAQ13Language class moves so quickly I worry about getting left behind.
2.9 TAQ14I feel more tense and nervous in my language class than in my other classes.
2.6 TAQ15When I'm on my way to language class, I feel very sure and relaxed. 3.5 The results of mean scores for test anxiety are presented in Table 8. The highest mean score for test anxiety is "I worry about the consequences of failing my foreign language class" with 3.9 score. The respondents also responded "I don't understand why some people get so upset over foreign language class." Is with 3.1score. Meanwhile, the lowest mean score for test anxiety is "I often feel like not going to my language class." with 2.1.

Findings for Relationship between motivation and Fear
This section presents analysed to answer research question 3-Is there a relationship between motivation and fear for learning a foreign language?
To determine if there is a significant association in the mean scores between metacognitive, effort regulation, cognitive, social and affective strategies data is analysed using SPSS for correlations. Results are presented separately in table 3, 4, 5 and 6 below. Table 9 Correlation between Motivation and Communication Apprehension Table 9 shows there is an association between motivation and communication apprehension. Correlation analysis shows that there is a low significant association between motivation and communication apprehension. (r=.260**) and (p=.000). According to Jackson (2015), coefficient is significant at the .05 level and positive correlation is measured on a 0.1 to 1.0 scale. Weak positive correlation would be in the range of 0.1 to 0.3, moderate positive correlation from 0.3 to 0.5, and strong positive correlation from 0.5 to 1.0. This means that there is also a weak positive relationship between motivation and communication apprehension.

Table 10
Correlation between Motivation and Fear of Negative Evaluation Table 10 shows there is a no association between motivation and fear of negative evaluation.

Table 11
Correlation between Motivation and Test Anxiety Table 11 shows there is a no association between motivation and test anxiety. Table 12 shows there is an association between communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. Correlation analysis shows that there is a moderate significant association between metacognitive and affective strategies. (r=.332**) and (p=.000). According to Jackson (2015), coefficient is significant at the .05 level and positive correlation is measured on a 0.1 to 1.0 scale. Weak positive correlation would be in the range of 0.1 to 0.3, moderate positive correlation from 0.3 to 0.5, and strong positive correlation from 0.5 to 1.0. This means that there is also a moderate positive relationship between metacognitive and affective strategies.

Summary of Findings and Discussions
This study attempted to discover the influence of motivation and fear in the learning of a foreign language among Malaysian students. Firstly, it is interesting to note that all the respondents were highly motivated to learn foreign language as most of them were ready to attend class without fail and communicate with fellow classmates in order to gain understanding of the target language. Data also shown that majority of the students were actively engaged with class activities. This is in line with Zubairi & Sarudin (2009) ;Rethinasamy et al (2021) studies, in which intrinsic and extrinsic as well as instrumental and integrative motivation prevails due to the nature of the subject which is obligatory for all students in order for them to graduate (instrumental or extrinsic) and their active engagement with the language learning activities or group interaction indicates integrative and intrinsic motivations where learners show high interest in acquiring the target language.
Next, for the fear factor or influence towards learning a foreign language, it is found that majority were not afraid to speak the foreign language as most of them feel confident when using the target language. This is not in accordance to Rahmat (2020) study where most respondents replied that they were confident in using the foreign language and shown a small significant amount of communication apprehension of the learning process. The data, however, does agree to Rahmat (2020); Fakhruddin et al (2022) analysis of Test Anxiety and Fear of Negative Evaluation, which majority of the learners have low self-esteem when they pointed out that they feel other learners are better than them at acquiring the language and such condition can influence their readiness for class as well. Additionally, consequences of failing a test also indicated a high mean score as it signifies the impact of passing the language course with flying colours to graduate. The pressure to fulfil such requirement may take its toll onto the students in which their future career is at stake.
Finally, there is a low significant association or correlation between motivation and communication apprehension, motivation and fear of negative evaluation, and motivation and test anxiety. It is believed that based on the data analysed for the relationship of motivation and fear of learning a foreign language, the study did not find any significant correlation except for the moderate positive relationship between communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. This is due to respondents fear of being ridiculed by fellow learners due to their insufficient ability of utilising the target language, which may possibly extend to fearing the foreign language classes (Rahmat, 2020;Fakhruddin et al., 2022).

(Pedagogical) Implications and Suggestions for Future Research
The study's results indicate that Malaysian students have both intrinsic and extrinsic motives for learning a foreign language. Given the significance of intrinsic motivation in fostering success, it is crucial to encourage students who initially enrolled in a foreign language course for extrinsic reasons to develop a passion for the learning process. Moreover, the study also posits the idea that compulsory foreign language requirements may enhance intrinsic motivation. Therefore, foreign language program providers in Malaysia should consider the various factors that drive students to learn foreign languages due to different policies. Based on the learners' distinct needs and motivations, course content and teaching methods can be tailored.
Moreover, it was also found that the fear of learning foreign language among Malaysian undergraduates does not have any significant relationship with their motivation to learn the target language except for the moderate positive relationship between communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation. These factors only make a minor contribution to fear of learning foreign language or language anxiety. The present study proposes further research on foreign language communication apprehension and fear of negative evaluation, which will benefit educators in designing their teaching and learning approaches towards facilitating students' learning. At the same time, they can also mitigate the challenges and constraints of learning a foreign language. This will consequently result in students becoming more engaged and motivated to excel in the language.