Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between achievement in English and motivation, attitudes, parental encouragement, and satisfaction with the English program among Saudi high school female students (SHSFS). The researcher also investigated whether or not the students are integratively or instrumentally motivated. The subjects consisted of three classes of tenth graders, three of eleventh graders, and three of twelfth graders randomly selected from three secondary schools for girls in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Three measurements were used in the research. A questionnaire consisting of direct questions requiring responses on a 5-point scale was used for the attitude, motivation, parental encouragement, and satisfaction with the English program variables. The English Level Test was used as one measurement of achievement in English language learning. To determine the relationship between achievement in learning English and the independent variables, Pearson product-moment correlations were performed. Scores of the instrumental motivation (studying the language for utilitarian reasons) and the integrative motivation (studying the language to learn more about the other cultural community) were compared for statistical significance using t-test. Correlational analyses revealed that the students' achievement in learning English significantly (p <.025) correlated with their attitudes, motivation, parental encouragement, and satisfaction with the English program. The results also showed that SHSFS were more integratively motivated than instrumentally motivated. The findings showed that there was a significant relationship between the students' achievement in learning English and their instrumental motivation scores. The findings of this study showed that attitude and motivation were major factors in language learning. Since attitude is learned behavior, and, consequently, can be changed from negative to positive by activities and experiences, the researcher proposed implementing a program to help create favorable attitudes toward learning English as a second language.
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