This study explores the motivation and challenges faced by English majored students at Thu Dau Mot University when learning with native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). Using a quantitative approach, a structured questionnaire was distributed to 50 participants to gather data on their experiences, preferences, and perceptions. The findings showed that students were positively motivated to learn English with both NESTs and NNESTs, although the sources of motivation differed. While NESTs are appreciated for their native pronunciation, interactive teaching methods, and cultural authenticity, NNESTs are valued for their clear explanations, shared language background, and supportive attitudes. The study also highlights challenges associated with each teacher group. It was found that students struggled with understanding native accents and feel intimidated by the fluency of NESTs, while they experienced limited cultural exposure and pronunciation variation with NNESTs. The results suggest that a balanced and inclusive approach to English language teaching - drawing from the advantages of both teacher types - can enhance the quality of language education in Vietnamese contexts.

The study aims to explore factors influencing middle school students' motivation to learn. Instead of assuming a general decline in motivation, it objectively examines the issue through research, identifying key influences such as curriculum difficulty, teaching methods, and external pressures. By analyzing survey data from eighth-grade students at Chu Van An Middle School, the study provides evidence-based insights into the challenges affecting student engagement in learning. This research aims to identify the factors affecting the learning motivation of middle school students to help them become more engaged in their studies. In this study, the author designed a survey questionnaire of 8 questions combined with a quantitative method to identify the factors causing a lack of interest in learning among middle school students. The survey was conducted at Chu Van An Middle School in Binh Duong Province. The survey participants were 375 eighth-grade students in the 2024-2025 academic year. According to the survey, 184 male students felt uninterested in learning due to various factors, accounting for 49.07%; 157 female students, accounting for 41.87%; and 34 students of other genders, accounting for 9.07%. Given this situation, it is urgent to propose feasible solutions to help students regain interest in learning.

This paper aims to identify the English-learning motivation of Thu Dau Mot University’s students. Based on the questionnaire, the data for analysis were collected from more than 100 students of different majors studying non-majored English at Thu Dau Mot University’s Foreign Language Center. The findings show that students have relatively positive learning motivation. In the relationship between learning achievement and motivation, the motive that comes from the students’ desire to get a better job occupies 58.4% of all the students surveyed because they believe it is essential and decisive to ensure their future income (applying for a job to earn money), and motivation to integrate into modern world life (because English is a global language: 40.4%) are the factors affecting students’ achievement.