JoLIE 14/2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2021.2.5

ATTITUDES TOWARDS LEARNING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN

LANGUAGE

Adela Mašić
International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Senad Bećirović
International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

In the environment of ongoing changes in the theory and methodology of teaching, students
have a central role, and their attitudes are essential in improving teaching and learning
outcomes. It is believed that a learner’s attitude towards learning languages directly
determines their success or failure in learning a language. This research aims to examine high
school students' attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language and how these
attitudes influence their achievement. The research sample consisted of 206 Bosnian high
school students attending all four high-school grades. The questionnaire was used to collect
the necessary data on attitudes toward learning English as a foreign language. The MANOVA
results showed that gender, age, GPA and GPA in English have a statistically significant
effect on the combined dependent variables of students' attitudes towards learning English as
a foreign language. Additionally, the results indicated that language attitudes are a significant
predictor of the students' overall achievement in learning English as a foreign language.
Therefore, understanding learners' attitudes will help both teachers and curriculum
developers design programs that meet the objectives and improve students' academic
achievement.

Keywords: Attitudes; Age; Gender; Grade level; GPA; Achievement.

Introduction

In the last couple of decades, the English language has obtained an international
status and developed a special role of being recognised in almost every country as
the modern Lingua Franca. Therefore, it has become a part of the curriculum of a
substantial amount of academic institutions worldwide and as such, “no one can
doubt that the use of English worldwide is growing year by year” (Dalby 2002: 10).
With a sudden increase in the use of the English language, and its important role in
all fields of modern life (Mašić, & Tarabar 2021; Wu 2001), people have become
86 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

rather interested in learning and/or increasing their knowledge in the English

language.
Thus, to possess knowledge of the English language has become very
important if a person wants to be prosperous in various fields of human activities
(Yaman, & Bećirović 2016), especially when we consider the era of globalization,
knowing the English language seems to be of great importance. Since the aim of
Bosnia and Herzegovina is to become a member of international alliances and an
equal partner of the international community (Bećirović 2017), mastering the
English language is of great significance to its citizens. However, becoming
proficient in a foreign language is not easy. Some parts may be easier to learn, some
more difficult, but success can be achieved with the right amount of hard work,
motivation, ambition, and a positive attitude towards the language. Therefore, many
studies have been conducted with an aim to point to the most important factors in
language learning, among which attitude and motivation seem to be the most relevant
ones (Balemir 2009; Gardner 1985). Attitudes and motivation, individually or in
relation, are considered crucial factors in the process of language acquisition. Even
if individuals have highly developed intellectual abilities, they will not be able to
achieve the long-term goal of success (Sinanović, & Bećirović 2016) in foreign
language learning without a positive attitude and adequate motivation. Attitude
towards learning a language is regarded as an essential factor in understanding
human behaviour, and it is characterised as a state of mind which comprises beliefs
and feelings (Deissl-O’Meara, & Tinkel 2021; Latchanna, & Dagnew 2009). Belief
is a factor that is important in determining the achievement of a language learner.
Thus, if learners believe that they can do well, they will most certainly be successful
in language learning (Lennartsson 2008). To have a positive attitude for learning a
language is always a good starting point. On the other hand, negative attitudes can
have a diminishing effect on language learning. Nevertheless, it is imperative to
point out that even if someone has a negative attitude, this negative attitude can be
changed into a positive one, eventually leading to a positive outcome. According to
Gardner (1985), the influence of motivation is always positive and it is "the
combination of effort plus desire to achieve the goal of learning the language plus
favorable attitudes toward learning a language" (p. 10). On the other hand, without
motivation, regardless of intellectual abilities, learners would not be capable of
learning a foreign language successfully.
The education policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina requests the incorporation
of a foreign language in the curriculum. English is a compulsory subject for both
primary and high school academic programs throughout the country, and so far, the
effectiveness of teaching and learning has met expectations to some extent.
Therefore, researchers, together with teachers and other educational administrators,
are constantly striving to enhance the quality of both teaching and learning especially
due to all ongoing changes in the last years, when the learner-focused approach is
starting to be prominent. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore attitudes
towards learning English as a foreign language among Bosnian high school students,
considering the three aspects of attitude: cognitive, behavioural and emotional. In
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 87

addition, it attempts to determine the effects of students' gender, grade level, GPA,
and GPA in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) on students' attitudes as
well as the influence of EFL attitudes on the students' achievement.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Attitude and Language Attitude

Because it is so abstract, attitude is a difficult concept to define. Even though people

usually tend to say that they have a positive or negative attitude towards something,
attitude is very complex. Conforming with Inal et al. (2000: 41), “attitude refers to
our feelings and shapes our behaviors towards learning” (p. 41). According to
Crystal (1997), language attitudes are the established ways of thinking and feeling
people share for their own language or language of others. Longman Dictionary of
Applied Linguistics and Language Teaching (2002) defines language attitudes as
"the attitudes which speakers of different languages or language varieties have
towards each other's languages or to their own language" (p. 297).
Behaviour is closely related to attitude; consequently, attitude plays an
imminent role in second language learning due to the fact that it determines learners'
behaviours, such as actions or energy one invests in the learning process (Ali Alkaff
2013). Despagne (2010) further expands upon the relation between perceptions and
attitudes, defining attitudes as behavioural outcomes of perceptions. Thus, attitude
can be both a positive and negative evaluation of just about anything in an
environment, such as people, objects, events, activities, ideas, languages, etc.
Attitudes learners have towards a foreign language may have an impact on second
language or foreign language learning.

2.2 Types and Aspects of Language Attitudes

The term language attitudes include a wide range of different attitudes, and according
to Baker (1992), the main areas are: attitude towards language variation; attitude
towards learning a new language; attitude towards a specific minority language;
attitude towards language groups, communities, and minorities; attitude towards
language lessons; attitude of parents towards language lessons; attitude towards the
uses of a specific language; and attitude towards language preference. There is three
different attitudinal aspects: behavioural, cognitive, and emotional aspect. The first
one, the behavioural aspect, expresses the behaviour and reactions of a learner in a
specific situation. The second one, the cognitive aspect, is about the knowledge one
receives and understanding language learning (Tinkel, & Deiss-O’Meara 2021;
Abidin et al. 2012). The third, emotional aspect, helps learners to express the way
they feel about some object or the situation. These three aspects of language attitudes
are related. In other words, a positive belief in a certain language creates positive
emotions, which results in positive behaviour. Positive and/or negative attitudes
88 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

determine to what extent someone will be successful or unsuccessful in language

learning. According to Mouili et al. (2014), there are many factors that influence
learners' attitudes towards a particular language, and they are the individual's role
and the role of the environment, which includes both parents and teachers.
Individuals such as peers or mediators are very important when it comes to
influencing learners' attitudes. If they have positive attitudes towards a language, if
they show excitement and interest, their impact will be positive. On the contrary, if
their attitudes are not positive, if they are uninterested, passive, or careless, the effect
will obviously be negative.
The role of parents is one of the most important roles when we talk about
achieving good results in school. Children tend to do the same things their parents
do, and most of the time, children imitate their parents. So, if parents have positive
attitudes towards school and learning and value education, children will also have
positive feelings towards the learning process, and vice versa. In his study on
Malaysian students' attitudes, Ghazali (2008) found that the students whose parents
read more and generally have a positive attitude regarding a foreign language also
have a more positive attitude for language learning. In other words, parents motivate
their children to develop a similar attitude. Contrastingly, students whose parents
possess a negative attitude towards foreign language learning develop the same
feelings. However, high family expectations may be a cause of anxiety if students
cannot fulfill their parents' expectations (Laličić, & Dubravac 2021; Csiz'er et al.
2010).
The way teachers behave in the classroom and the things they do greatly
impact students' attitudes. If the setting is pleasant, if the teacher has a friendly
relationship with students, if students feel safe, if the classroom management is
effective and successful, obviously it will make a huge contribution to students'
success. According to Gardner (2006: 248), "attitudes toward the learning situation
refer in general to affective reactions to any aspect of the class and could be assessed
in terms of the 'atmosphere' in the class, the quality of the materials, availability of
materials, the curriculum, the teacher, etc." (p. 248). On the other hand, if students
do not like or do not have respect for the teacher, they will not be able to follow the
lessons and listen carefully to what the teacher is teaching (Delić, & Bećirović 2016;
Abu-Melhim 2009).

2.3 Attitudes towards Language Learning and Factors Impacting Them

The previous theoretical exposition has clearly shown that attitude and motivation
are closely related and impact foreign language learning (Kamaruddin et al. 2017).
Thus, findings show that "positive attitudes and motivation are related to success in
second or foreign language learning" (Gardner 1985: 8). Favorable attitudes tend to
cause the experience to be perceived positively. If, on the other hand, attitudes are
negative, the experiences will be viewed negatively.
Ellis (1994) asserts that learners' attitudes have been recognised as a
combination of important parameters, more importantly, the attitudes which are
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 89

formed by social elements. Elis (1994) and Baker (1992) suggest that negative
attitudes influence language learning wrong because learners get these feelings when
they express disinterest or have some disagreements with teachers, which can lead
to negative thoughts and cause anxiety, poor academic achievement and destructive
attitudes. Students with optimistic beliefs about language and language learning
develop positive attitudes towards language learning, and it significantly affects
students' performance (Gardner, & MacIntyre 1993; Oxford, & Nyikos 1989).
Chambers (1993: 13) asserts that “students do not come to the foreign language
classroom as tabula rasa. They bring with them some attitudes born of conversations
shared with family, friends, the media and personal experience of the target language
community” (p. 13). Positive attitudes of learners serve as a motivational stimulus
to strengthen a note worthier endeavor to attain the goal of learning the language,
and students’ learning perspective raises when positive attitude and motivation are
intense.
Similarly, several researchers further emphasise the importance of attitude,
particularly positive attitude, in language learning. Thus, Inal et al. (2000) state that
identifying learners' attitudes is rather crucial for their own benefit as well as for
academic programs. Buschenhofen (1998) also believes that attitudes not only
predict achievement but also contribute to it. Abu-Melhim (2009) goes even further
by saying that ultimately, it all depends completely on the students whether or not to
participate passively in the lesson. In other words, it all comes down to students'
attitudes. According to Brown (2001), for second language learners, the most
important thing is the positive attitude and they benefit from it immensely, while
negative attitudes may cause lowered motivation. Because of diminished input and
interaction, there is no successful gaining of proficiency. Lately, attitudes have
become one of the most interesting topics which have attracted the interest of a large
number of researchers. Al-Tamimi and Shuib (2009) found that students have
positive attitudes concerning the English language and its culture, the same as Alkaff
(2013) study, which he conducted at the English Language Institute of King
Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Also, Martinez and Perez (2013)
reported a positive attitude concerning learning EFL of Mexican American students.
Moreover, Buschenhofen (1998) conducted a study among 537 high school students
and 734 university students in the Papuan context and found that both groups had
positive attitudes concerning using the English language. Rian (1998) conducted a
study about attitudes towards English and English learning at three rural middle
schools in Japan and concluded that they had a surprisingly positive or at in any case,
not negative attitude concerning learning the language.
On the other hand, some studies conducted in some EFL contexts indicated
that EFL learners had a rather negative attitude concerning English language
learning. Thus, Abidin et al. (2012) conducted a study in Libyan secondary schools
and concluded that the students had a negative attitude concerning learning the
English language mostly because they did not feel relaxed when they had to speak
in class. Likewise, Abu-Melhim (2009), in his study of Jordanian college students at
Irbid University, came to a conclusion that around 50% of the students had negative
90 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

attitudes concerning learning English. Also, in his study on students learning English
at two Mexican universities, Despagne (2010) found out that students had negative
attitudes due to Mexico's colonial past. Moreover, Munir and Rehman (2015)
reported a negative attitude concerning the English language as a foreign language
of Secondary school students in Lahore, Pakistan.
Karahan (2007: 84) points out that “positive language attitudes let learner
have a positive orientation towards learning English” (p. 84). More importantly,
some learners may have started with some negative attitudes; eventually, when they
realise the positive sides of knowing the language, the attitudes towards learning a
language can change. Therefore, everyone concerned agrees that if learners are
highly motivated and have positive attitudes concerning a language, its culture, and
people, it will certainly help accomplish a goal (Iqbal 2021): to learn the targeted
language. As such, attitudes could perhaps play a central role in language learning
as they would appear to affect students' success or their failure in language learning.
Age and grade level are believed to be determining factors in the process of
language learning due to the fact that that the process of learning depends on the age
of the individual (Kahrimanović 2021; Hamzć, & Bećirović 2021). Generally,
studies reported opposing views regarding age as the effect on second or foreign
language learning. Some studies propose that children can obtain native-like
proficiency without trying that hard, whereas adults study hard for years still without
any satisfactory results (Dervić, & Bećirović 2019; Li 2001). Furthermore, in their
study Bećirović and Hurić-Bećirović (2017) found that the ten-year-olds are the ones
who are highly motivated to learn English as a second language, whereas the
eighteen-year-olds are the least motivated. In addition, one important factor
regarding the influence of age in language learning is the critical period hypothesis.
It refers to the fact that in order to master a language, there is a critical period, and
after this period, it is much harder to learn a language natively like. The study
conducted by Ghonchepour et al. (2020) in Iran among 85 high school students in
the age range from 14 to 18 on attitude/motivation in their learning EFL found that
younger female students were more successful in an achievement test related to the
foreign language in comparison to older male participants. In addition, Ghonchepour
et al. (2020) showed that generally, the female students scored much better than the
male participants' scores and that teenage female participants scored higher than
males on the subscale attitudes concerning learning English. Their study also
asserted that age has a notable role in language learning regarding language skills;
the earlier the learner starts, the more successful they will be.
Still, Rahman et al. (2017) argued that when it comes to the critical period,
its existence cannot be really proven, or it can be argued widely. According to the
study conducted by Gömleksiz (2010) at Firat University, Turkey, students' attitudes
were different depending on the grade level. Sophomores' attitudes were more
favorable compared to freshmen, and their predisposition towards learning English
was higher. However, Buschenhofen (1998) studied attitudes concerning English
between 12-year-olds and final-year university students and stated that attitudes of
both these groups were generally positive concerning English.
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 91

One of the factors most ordinarily discussed in educational, linguistic, and

psychological research is gender (Rizvić, & Bećirović 2017; Woolfolk 1987). Many
researchers found that when it comes to attitudes towards learning a second or
foreign language, gender differences are present (Gardner, 1985). According to some
researchers, such as Burstall (1975), Gagnon (1974), females are considered more
successful in language learning than males. Likewise, Ghonchepour et al. (2020)
showed that male participants scored lower in comparison to female participants
when their attitudes/motivation was measured, which was in accordance with
females' higher success in language learning. Moreover, according to Ghonchepour
et al. (2020), the fact that female learners scored higher in the achievement test
proved the influence gender has on learners' attitude/motivation and achievement. In
addition, in his study in Morocco, Smirkou (2015) on female rural high school
students' attitudes concerning learning English indicated that female rural students
had a positive attitude towards learning EFL rather than any other foreign language.
Martinez and Perez (2013) showed that girls had a more positive attitude
than boys in Mexican American students. Abidin et al. (2012) stated that females
had a somewhat higher positive attitude towards EFL than male students in Iranian
schools. Likewise, in the study conducted by Gömleksiz (2010) study at Firat
University, Turkey, females expressed more positive attitudes toward learning
English. Moreover, Munir and Rehman (2015) reported in their study of secondary
school students in Lahore, Pakistan, that girls scored significantly higher compared
to boys.
Even though many studies showed that females have a more positive attitude
towards learning EFL, some claim otherwise. While doing a study among Kuwaiti
students' learning attitudes, Al-Bustan and Al-Bustan (2009) found that there were
unfavorable attitudes of female students concerning learning the English language
in the past. On the other side, some other researchers stated that significant
differences in attitudes considering learners' gender are nonexistent (Shaaban &
Ghaith, 2000). Thus, Shaaban and Ghaith (2000) researched 180 undergraduate
Lebanese English learners and found no gender differences in their attitudes towards
EFL learning.
GPA (Grade Point Average) or the overall achievement is also one of the
crucial elements in language learning, and some studies connect attitude to
achievement. Inal et al. (2000) found in their study on the final year of high school
students in eastern Turkey that there exists an important connection between attitude
and achievement. Similarly, Ghonchepour et al. (2020) discovered that female
participants who expressed more positive attitudes toward learning English were
more interested in foreign languages, were more successful, and had higher scores
when their English language skills were measured than male participants.
There is a need to conduct further research into attitudes concerning learning
EFL among Bosnian high school students, considering the three different attitudinal
aspects: cognitive, behavioural and emotional. Additionally, its further attempt is to
determine the effects of students' gender, grade level, GPA, GPA in EFL on the
students' attitudes as well as the influence of attitudes/attitudes on the students'
92 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

achievement. The present study may contribute to the field of theory and
methodology of teaching EFL. Based on the present theoretical ground, the study
tested the following hypotheses:
H1: There will be a significant influence of gender on the combined
dependent variables of attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language.
H2: There will be a significant influence of grade level on the combined
dependent variables of attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language.
H3: GPA will significantly influence the combined dependent variables of
attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language.
H4: There will be a significant influence of GPA in EFL on the combined
dependent variables of attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language.
H5: There will be a significant influence of EFL attitudes in predicting the
students' achievement in learning English as a foreign language.

3 Methodology

3.1 Participants

The research sample consists of 206 secondary school students attending all four
high-school grades in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The method implemented was
convenient sampling. Students willingly completed the questionnaires at the school
premises. The sample includes 92 female and 114 male students. As for the GPA,
the sample includes four groups as follows: group 1 (7 students); group 2 (21
students); group 3 (103 students) and group 4 (75 students). There were no
participants whose GPA fell within the group of GPA ranging between 1.6 and 2.4.
The age of students ranges from 15 to 18. A precise description of the research
sample is detailed in Table 1.

Table 1. Demographic data of the participants

Number Percent %
Gender
Male 114 55.3
Female 92 44.7
Grade level
First grade 38 18.5
Second grade 36 17.5
Third grade 107 51.9
Fourth grade 25 12.1
GPA
Group 1 (1) 7 3.4
Group 2 (2.5-3.4) 21 10.2
Group 3 (3.5-4.4) 103 50.0
Group 4 (4.5-5) 75 36.4
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 93

3.2 Instrument and Procedure

With an aim to obtain data on attitudes towards learning a foreign language, a

questionnaire developed and validated by Abidin et al. (2012) was used. The
questionnaire consisted of 45 statements concerning language attitudes in terms of
behavioural, cognitive, and emotional aspects of attitude. Students were asked to
choose one of five statements on a five-point Likert scale (strongly disagree,
disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree). The instrument included three
subscales, namely behavioural aspect (Studying English helps me to have good
relationships with friends), cognitive (Studying English is important because it will
make me more educated), and emotional (I feel proud when studying the English
language). The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient test was used to determine the
reliability. Cronbach Alpha coefficient for all items was 0.83, which shows
acceptable consistency reliability. The value of Cronbach's Alpha regarding the
behavioural aspect is 0.79, the cognitive aspect 0.83, and the emotional aspect 0.87
(Table 2).

Table 2. Reliability Value regarding the Language Attitudes

Aspects of Attitude No. of Items Cronbach's Alpha Value
Behavioural Aspect 15 0.79
Cognitive Aspect 15 0.83
Emotional Aspect 15 0.87
Total 45 0.83

In order to determine the general achievement, the students were requested to give
information regarding their GPA at the end of the semester. For better understanding,
it is important to keep in mind that in the educational system in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, "1" signifies that the student has failed whilst "5" is the best possible
grade.
The questionnaire was assigned to students in secondary schools in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. Initially, the participants were requested to read every single
statement thoroughly, be sincere, and give an answer to all the statements in the
questionnaire. The research took place at the school premises. The time needed for
participants to fill out the questionnaire was approximately 25 minutes.

3.3 Data Analysis

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23.0 was used with an
aim to analyze the data obtained from the participants. Descriptive statistics in terms
of means, standard deviations and frequencies were executed. Cronbach's alpha was
used to determine the reliability analysis. A one-way MANOVA was used to explore
the effect of gender, grade level, GPA and GPA in EFL on students' attitudes towards
learning English as a foreign language. Multiple regression was performed to
measure the effects of EFL attitudes on students' achievement.
94 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

4 Results

A one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used in order to

determine gender preferences concerning students' English learning attitudes,
specificallybehavioural, cognitive and emotional. The MANOVA results show that
gender has a statistically significant influence on the combined dependent variables
ofstudents' attitudes towards learning the English language Wilk's Ʌ = 0.952, F (3,
202) = 3,39, p = .019; with the small effect size η2 = .048. Moreover, the results
show that gender has insignificant effecton the behavioural aspect F (1, 204) = 0.310;
p = .579; η2 = .002; cognitive F (1, 204) = 2.153; p = .144; η2 = .010 and emotional
F (1, 204) = 0.621; p = .431; η2 = .003 aspect of attitudes towards learning English
individually. The most influential aspect of attitudes for all students is cognitive M
= 3.58, SD = .66; then emotional M = 3.45, SD = .72, whilst behavioural is the least
influential M = 3.26, SD = .65. Females, in comparison to males, scored higher
regarding two aspects, cognitive and emotional aspect; while males scored higher in
behavioural aspect. Behavioural aspect for females was M = 3.24; whilst males
scored M = 3.29; cognitive aspect for females was M = 3.65; whilst for males was M
= 3.52; and the emotional aspect for females was M = 3.49, whilst for males it was
M = 3.41 (Table 3).

Table 3. Descriptive Statistics of Attitude towards English by Gender

Gender Mean Std. Deviation N
Behavioural Aspect of female 3.23 .73 92
Language Attitude male 3.28 .57 114
total 3.26 .65 206
Cognitive Aspect of female 3.65 .70 92
Language Attitude male 3.51 .61 114
total 3.57 .65 206
Emotional Aspect of female 3.49 .79 92
Language Attitude male 3.41 .66 114
total 3.44 .72 206

The MANOVA results indicate that grade level significantly affects the combined
dependent variables of students' attitudes towards the English language, Wilk's Ʌ =
0.901, F (9, 487) = 2.36, p =.013, with a small an effect size η2 = .034. According
to the results grade level insignificantly influences behavioural aspect F (3, 202) =
0.108; p = .955; η2 = .002; cognitive F (3, 202) = 1.348; p = .260; η2 = .020 and
emotional F (3, 202) = 1.285; p = .281; η2 = .019 of the attitudes towards learning
English individually. The most influential aspect of attitudes by all grade levels is
cognitive M = 3.58, SD = .66; then emotional M = 3.45, SD = .72, whilst behavioural
is the least influential M = 3.26, SD = .65. Moreover, when it comes to grade levels,
behavioural aspect is the most influential with the first grade M = 3.30, SD = .62;
followed by the third grade M = 3.27, SD = .65; then the second grade M = 3.26, SD
= .67, and the least influential is with the fourth grade M = 3.20, SD = .73. Cognitive
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 95

aspect is the most influential with the third grade M = 3.66, SD = .66; followed by
the fourth grade M = 3.62, SD = .55; then the second grade M = 3.50, SD = .72, and
the least influential is with the first grade M = 3.42, SD = .64. Likewise, emotional
aspect is the most influential with the fourth grade M = 3.58, SD = .63; followed by
the third grade M = 3.50, SD = .68; then the first grade M = 3.36, SD = .77, and the
least influential is with the second grade M = 3.28, SD = .85 (Table 4).

Table 4. Descriptive Statistics of Attitude towards English by Grade level

Std.
Grade level Mean Deviation N
Behavioural Aspect of Language First grade 3.29 .62 38
Attitude Second grade 3.26 .66 36
Third grade 3.26 .64 107
Fourth grade 3.20 .72 25
Total 3.26 .65 206
Cognitive Aspect of Language First grade 3.42 .63 38
Attitude Second grade 3.49 .72 36
Third grade 3.65 .66 107
Fourth grade 3.61 .55 25
Total 3.57 .65 206
Emotional Aspect of Language First grade 3.36 .77 38
Attitude Second grade 3.27 .85 36
Third grade 3.49 .67 107
Fourth grade 3.58 .63 25
Total 3.44 .72 206

Furthermore, the One Way MANOVA showed that students' GPA significantly
influences the combined dependent variables of students' attitudes towards learning
English as a foreign language, Wilk's Ʌ = 0.900, F (9, 487) = 2.40, p =.011, with an
effect size η2 = .035. The ANOVA results indicated that students’ GPA
insignificantly influences the behavioural aspect F (3, 202) = 2.198; p = .090; η2 =
.032; whilst it significantly affects both cognitive F (3, 202) = 3.783; p = .011; η2 =
.053 and emotional F (3, 202) = 4.109; p = .007; η2 = .058 aspects of atitudes towards
learning english as foreign language. The most influential aspect of attitudes by
students’ GPA is cognitive M = 3.58, SD = .66; then emotional M = 3.45, SD = .72,
whilst behavioural is the least influential M = 3.26, SD = .65. Furthermore, the most
significant is the cognitive aspect in the GPA range of 4,5 - 5,0; M = 3.78, SD = .59;
and the least significant is behavioural aspect in the range of 3,5 – 4,4; M = 3.15, SD
= .71. Furthermore, when it comes to behavioural aspect, it is the most influential
with the range 4,5 - 5,0; M = 3.40, SD = .53; followed bythe range of 2,5 – 3,4; M
= 3.32, SD = .63; then the GPA 1,0; M = 3.26, SD = .74, and the least influential is
with the 3,5 – 4,4; M = 3.15, SD = .71. Cognitive aspect is the most influential with
the range of 4,5 – 5,0; M = 3.78, SD = .59; followed by the range of 2,5 – 3,4; M =
3.52, SD = .74; then the GPA 1,0; M = 3.50, SD = .59, and the least influential is
with the range 3,5 – 4,4; M = 3.45, SD = .67. Likewise, emotional aspect is the most
96 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

influential with the range of 2,5 – 3,4; M = 3.64, SD = .71; followed by the range 4,5
– 5,0; M = 3.63, SD = .62; then the GPA 1,0; M = 3.34, SD = .77, and the least
influential is with the GPA range of 3,5 – 4,4; M = 3.28, SD = .76 (Table 5).
The MANOVA results also present that students’ GPA in EFL significantly
influences the combined dependent variables of students’ attitudes towards English
language, Wilk's Ʌ = 0.796, F (12, 527) = 3.95, p < .001, with moderate an effect
size η2 = .073. One Way ANOVA indicated that that students’ GPA in EFL
significantly influences the attitudes towards learning English individually, namely
the behavioural aspect F (4, 201) = 9.792; p < .001; η2 = .163; cognitive F (4, 201)
= 8.878; p < .000; η2 = .150 and emotional F (4, 201) = 5.204; p = .001; η2 = .094.
The most influential aspect of attitudes by students’ GPA in EFL is cognitive M =
3.65, SD = .68; then emotional M = 3.55, SD = .73, whilst behavioural is the least
influential M = 3.35, SD = .67. Furthermore, the most significant is the cognitive
aspect in the GPA in EFL 5; M = 3.92, SD = .71; and the least significant is
behavioural aspect in the GPA in EFL 2; M = 2.94, SD = .57. Moreover, when it
comes to behavioural aspect, it is the most influential with the grade 5; M = 3.67, SD
= .65; followed bythe grade 4; M = 3.41, SD = .59; then thegrade 3; M = 3.24, SD =
.64, and the least influential is with the grade 2; M = 2.94, SD = .57. Cognitive aspect
is the most influential with the grade in EFL 5; M = 3.92, SD = .71; followed by the
grade 4; M = 3.78, SD = .64; then the grade 3; M = 3.57, SD = .55, and the least
influential is with the grade 2; M = 3.18, SD = .54. Likewise, emotional aspect is the
most influential with the grade in EFL 5; M = 3.83, SD = .76; followed by the grade
4; M = 3.56, SD = .66; then the grade 3; M = 3.49, SD = .63, and the least influential
is with the grade 2; M = 3.18, SD = .69 (Table 5). To conclude, regardless to the
different aspects of attitudes: behavioural, cognitive, and emotional; the more
significant attitude, the better the grade.

Table 5. Descriptive Statistics of Attitude towards English by GPA in EFL

GPA Std.
EFL Mean Deviation N
Behavioural Aspect of Language 2 2.93 .57 59
Attitude 3 3.24 .64 53
4 3.41 .59 67
5 3.66 .65 84
Total 3.35 .67 263
CognitiveAspectofLanguageAttitude 2 3.18 .53 59
3 3.56 .55 53
4 3.77 .63 67
5 3.92 .70 84
Total 3.64 .68 263
EmotionalAspectofLanguageAttitude 2 3.18 .68 59
3 3.49 .63 53
4 3.55 .65 67
5 3.83 .75 84
Total 3.54 .72 263
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 97

Standard multiple regression was performed to determine the effects of language

attitudes, namely behavioural, cognitive, and emotional, on the students'
achievement in learning EFL. The regression results indicated that the language
attitudes significantly predicted the students' achievement in learning EFLR² = .193,
R² adj. = .184; F (4,201) = 21.177, p < .001. This model explains 19.3% of the
variance in the students' achievement. Behavioural (p = .004) and cognitive aspects
(p = .004) of language attitude significantly contributed to the students' achievement,
whereas the emotional aspect (p = .110) was not a significant predictor of the
students' achievement in learning EFL.

5 Discussion

The essence of this study was to explore attitudes concerning learning EFL among
Bosnian high school students, taking into consideration the three aspects of attitude:
cognitive, behavioural and emotional. In addition, the study investigated the effects
of students' gender, grade level, GPA, and GPA in EFL on students' attitudes and the
influence of attitudes in predicting the students' achievement in learning EFL.
The first null hypothesis suggested that there will be a significant influence
of gender on the combined dependent variables of attitudes towards learning EFL,
and this hypothesis was supported. The results showed that gender had a statistically
significant influence on the combined dependent variables of students' attitudes
towards learning the English language, which is in line with the findings of Gardner
(1985), who stated that when it comes to attitudes towards learning the second or
foreign language, gender differences are present. According to Burstall (1975),
Gagnon (1974), Munir and Rehman (2015), females were found to be more
successful in language learning in comparison to males. Likewise, Ghonchepour et
al. (2020) showed that male participants scored lower in the foreign language
achievement test, as well as they scored lower on the subscale named 'interest in
foreign languages, in comparison to female participants, and this was also confirmed
by Smirkou (2015), Martinez and Perez (2013), Abidin et al. (2012), Gömleksiz
(2010), who indicated that female students had more positive attitude concerning
learning the English language. However, the results of this study were inconsistent
with the studies of Shaaban and Ghait (2000), who found no gender differences in
the attitudes concerning EFL learning between females and males.
Moreover, the results showed that gender insignificantly affects individual
aspects of EFL attitudes. In addition, the most influential aspect of attitudes by all
students is cognitive, followed by emotional, while behavioural is the least
influential aspect. Furthermore, in comparison to males, females scored higher
regarding cognitive and emotional aspects, while males scored higher in behavioural
aspects. However, the results of this study were not expected, since according to
Bećirović (2017), Bosnian society is not gender-biased, as both male and female
students have equal opportunities regarding communication. Since these results
98 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

showed that considerable differences between students of different genders existed,

these findings should be considered. Teachers should change their teaching
approaches and develop the most suitable way to work with both female and male
students.
The second null hypothesis suggested that there will be a significant
influence of grade level on the combined dependent variables of attitudes towards
learning EFL. This hypothesis was supported. The results showed that grade level
had a statistically significant influence on the combined dependent variables of
students' EFL attitudes. The results were in line with the results of the studies
conducted by Li (2001) and Bećirović and Hurić-Bećirović (2017), who all found
that the younger students were more inspired and were able to master languages
better and on a higher level than the older ones, or in other words that the ten-year-
olds were more motivated for learning EFL, whereas the eighteen-year-olds were the
least motivated ones. Likewise, the studies conducted by Ghonchepour,
Pakzadmoghaddam, Khandani and Barfe (2020) found that younger female students
achieved higher in the foreign language achievement test compared to older male
students, and they also asserted that age had a significant role in the process of
learning a language, or in other words, the earlier the learners start the more
successful they will be. Furthermore, the results of the study conducted by
Gömleksiz (2010), who observed the difference in attitudes based on students' grade
level, claim that sophomores had more positive attitudes than freshmen and that their
tendency towards learning English was higher, were consistent with the results of
this study. The results were inconsistent with the outcomes of the study carried out
by Buschenhofen (1998), who found that attitudes concerning English of 12-year-
olds and the university undergraduate seniors were generally positive regarding both
groups.
Interestingly, the results showed that the most influential aspect of attitudes
by all grade levels was cognitive, followed by emotional, while behavioural aspect
was the least influential. In addition, when it comes to grade levels, the behavioural
aspect was the most influential with the first grade and the least influential with the
fourth grade. The cognitive aspect was the most influential with the third grade and
the least influential with the first grade, while the emotional aspect was the most
influential aspect with the fourth grade and the least influential with the second
grade. Since these results expressed significant differences between students of
different grade levels, they should be considered, and teachers should consider
adapting their teaching styles accordingly (Mašić et al., 2020). The teachers should
take into consideration the most influential aspect of attitude by all grade levels, as
well as the most influential aspect according to different grades, and create more
productive lessons.
The third null hypothesis stating that there will be a significant influence of
GPA on the combined dependent variables of attitudes towards learning EFL was
supported. In addition to this, the fourth null hypothesis claiming that there will be a
significant influence of GPA in EFL on the combined dependent variables of
attitudes towards learning EFL was also confirmed. I was interested in students' GPA
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 99

and GPA in EFL because GPA is important for various reasons. It can show us how
hard-working students are, how much effort they put in learning, how much they
know, their strengths and weaknesses, expectations, ambitions, willingness to
improve, etc. Thus, the results of both hypotheses (the third and the fourth) showed
that the students' GPA and GPA in EFL significantly affected the combined variables
of students' general attitudes concerning the English language. The results of both of
these hypotheses were consistent with the studies that connected attitude to
achievement (Inal et al. 2000). Furthermore, Ghonchepour et al. (2020) found that
female participants, who expressed more positive attitudes concerning learning the
English language and were more interested in foreign languages, were more
successful and had higher scores than male participants when their achievement in
English language skills was measured.
Interestingly, the most influential aspect of attitudes by students' GPA was
cognitively followed by emotional, while the behavioural aspect was the least
influential. Furthermore, the most significant was the cognitive aspect in the GPA
range of 4,5 - 5,0; and the least significant aspect was the behavioural aspect in the
range of 3,5 – 4,4. In addition, the most influential aspect of attitudes by students'
GPA in EFL was again cognitive followed by emotional, while the behavioural
aspect was again the least influential aspect. The same as with the GPA, in GPA in
EFL, the most significant aspect was the cognitive aspect in GPA in EFL 5; and the
least significant aspect was the behavioural aspect in the GPA in EFL 2. Since these
results demonstrated substantial differences between students of different GPAs and
GPAs in EFL regarding different aspects of attitudes, the findings should be
considered. Both students and teachers should be conscious that these differences
exist and that every student is an individual for himself or herself, with different
aspects of attitudes, behavioural, cognitive, and emotional. The teachers should
consider the most influential aspect of attitude by all GPAs and GPAs in EFL and
create more productive lessons.
The fifth null hypothesis proposing that there will be a significant influence
of attitudes predicting the students' achievement in learning EFL was supported.
Standard multiple regression was performed to explore the accuracy of language
attitudes, namely behavioural, cognitive, and emotional, regarding the prediction of
the students' achievement in learning EFL. The regression results showed that the
general language attitudes notably predicted the achievement in learning EFL. The
results of this study were in line with the findings of numerous research studies
(Abidin et al. 2012; Balemir 2009; Dörnyei 2001; Gardner 1985; Kamaruddin et al.
2017; Oxford, & Nyikos 1989), which pointed out that among the most significant
factors regarding language learning attitude and motivation seemed to be the most
relevant ones, and that attitudes and motivation, individually or in relation, were
considered crucial factors in the process of language acquisition. Likewise, Gardner
and MacIntyre (1993) argued that students' attraction to a particular second or
foreign language is caused by emotional attachment and/or a direct curiosity towards
the language, and thus students are eager to learn more and become more successful.
Similarly, several researchers further emphasised the signification of attitude in
100 Adela MAŠIĆ, & Senad BEĆIROVIĆ

language learning, and that is Abu-Melhim (2009), Inat et al. (2003), Karahan
(2007), Buschenhofe (1998), who all believed that attitude not only predicted
achievement but contributed to it.
Since these results showed that generally, language attitudes significantly
predicted the achievement in learning EFL, the findings should be considered.
Teachers should be wise of the fact that what they do in the classroom has a great
impact on their students' attitudes, and they should try to create a pleasant setting,
friendly atmosphere, in order for students to feel safe, and by doing all these things
they can make a huge contribution to students' success. As for the students, the
results are important to make them aware that without a positive attitude and
adequate motivation, even if they possess high intellectual abilities, they will not be
able to accomplish the long-term goal of achieving success in FFL.

6. Cconclusion

Attitudes toward a foreign language are important because they focus on

understanding the nature of learners; they influence learners’ language learning
strategies and, in turn, the level of proficiency they achieve in the end. There are
many benefits to having positive attitudes toward learning EFL. The following major
conclusions were drawn from the data collected by the questionnaire used, which
was already discussed in previous sections:
1. Gender had a statistically significant influence on the combined dependent
variables of students' attitudes towards learning EFL;
2. Grade level had a statistically significant influence on the combined dependent
variables of students' attitudes towards learning EFL;
3. GPA and GPA in EFL significantly affected the combined variables of students'
overall attitudes towards EFL;
4. There is a significant influence of EFL attitudes on the students' achievement in
learning EFL.
To sum up, the results show that attitudes are considered a pivotal
component in learning an EFL and that positive attitudes prompt the display of
positive behaviours towards the study field and learners then become engrossed in
the subject of interest and aim to learn more. Furthermore, the results are important
because learners cannot achieve FFL's long-term goals without a positive attitude
and adequate motivation, even if they possess tremendous intellectual capacity.
The results point to some problematic matters which can be found in
education and might help increase consciousness towards the needs which could be
incorporated in the educational process, and in the curricula, in order to help teachers
organise their lessons more effectively, and in that way help their students reach their
full potential. The teachers could adopt a more flexible curriculum to preserve
students' positive attitudes, which would result in more effective learning of the
language. In other words, teachers would have more time to be creative and adjust
to their students' needs, which is in accordance with Abidin et al. (2012), who argued
 Attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language 101

that for students to amend their negative attitudes, the curriculum itself should be
adopted to assist learners' needs, and more communicative approach together with
more appealing teaching methods and resources should be used. In addition, the
teachers should, using the appropriate textbooks and additional materials, promote a
more positive attitude for the society and culture (Ribo, & Dubravac 2021; Bećirović
2012) of the chosen language, and emphasise the reasons for learning a particular
language. Since the role of a teacher is a very important one in creating positive
attitudes towards the foreign language, there are some things they could do to address
the negative attitudes such as: using modern teaching aids, creating a pleasant and
friendly atmosphere, encouraging students to change the negative attitudes by
involving them in group works, role plays, and in that way change the routine of the
lectures in the class. They could also emphasise the significance of learning English
for a potential career by giving various successful examples. Moreover, some
funding or scholarships for the research related to different attitudinal aspects of
learning EFL could be organised. Therefore, the research outcomes and conclusions
of this study can adequately stimulate students to have more positive attitudes
concerning learning EFL and thus progress better and achieve a higher level of
proficiency. Given the various variables, it would be easier and better to establish
pedagogical standards and organise lessons in such a way as to reduce the risk of
mishaps and, as a result, to maximise the language learning process.

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