STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION AND CHALLENGES WHEN LEARNING ENGLISH WITH NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE ENGLISH-SPEAKING TEACHERS: A CASE STUDY AT THU DAU MOT UNIVERSITY

By Tran Anh Vu, Duong Thi Hai Yen
DOI: 10.37550/tdmu.EJS/2025.02.650

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.