Learning Experiences and Motivation of Undergraduate Students in Pakistani EFL Classrooms - A Qualitative Study

Oct 15, 2026

A qualitative study examines Pakistani undergraduate students’ learning experiences within immediate contexts, including both formal and informal settings, and evaluates the possible motivational role of these aspects. Based on 20 semi-structured interviews with students who participated in a large-scale L2 motivation project, findings show strong enthusiasm for learning English in universities. Confidence and satisfaction relate to English-medium background and communication skills, while enabling classroom environments and assessment of learning preferences can reduce psychological and social barriers for less proficient students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

English Language Teaching in Pakistan

Learning Experiences and Motivation of Undergraduate Students in Pakistani EFL Classrooms: A Qualitative Study Muhammad Islam * Abstract In this study, the researcher explored various aspects of Pakistani undergraduate students’ learning experiences in their immediate (both formal and informal) learning context. In addition, the researcher also found out and discussed the possible motivational role of these aspects of participants’ immediate learning contexts. This qualitative study is based on 20 semi-structured interviews conducted after seeking the written consent of the participants, selected among the students, participated in a large-scale L2 motivation research (Islam, Lamb & Chambers, 2013) . In general, the majority of participants appeared overtly enthusiastic and satisfied with their experiences of learning English in their universities. This enthusiasm may largely be because of their strong internalization of the utilitarian roles of English in their future lives. Participants with the English medium background and good communication skills were more confident and satisfied with their English learning experiences as compared to those with the Urdu medium background or less proficient skills. Teachers may create an enabling learning environment, based on necessary motivational tools, to encourage even less proficient and shy students participate in the classroom interaction and learning process. Teachers may also assess the learning preferences of their students, especially those of the less proficient, to address psychological and social obstacles/issues, which hinder their participation in the class. Keywords: L2 Learning experiences, L2 motivation, Pakistani EFL classrooms * Assistant Professor, Department of English Language Teaching & Linguistics, Institute of Education & Research, University of the Punjab, [Lahore. E-mail: mislam.ier@pu.edu.pk](Lahore. E-mail: mislam.ier@pu.edu.pk) Introduction At the beginning of my five years’ career as an English language teacher at three different Pakistani universities, I was intrigued by the ambivalent learning attitudes of my students. Most of them appeared unwilling to participate in the classroom interaction and would make little noticeable efforts to learn English. At the same time, many among them would show an enthusiastic attitude outside classroom and follow me after the class in order to seek some advice/tips to improve their English skills. Leaving aside some occasional moments of negative feelings when I considered their enthusiasm a trick to please me in order to seek some favour in the classroom assessment, I always regarded their urge to know a positive sign for their learning success in future, which also made me curious to know more about their enthusiasm about English. Therefore, I started asking them simple inquiries – e.g. Why do you want to learn English? Why is English important for you? - during our interactions outside the classroom so that I could build an argument to encourage them to learn English. Their responses to my enquiries were also equally fascinating for me as they involved a variety of reasons to like/learn English ranging from personal to social, national to international and intrinsic to extrinsic. For example, I was surprised sometimes by the huge importance my students used to attach with the uses of English related to international communication (including through internet) and access to the knowledge of the West. Overall, their responses made me aware of the changing and increasingly diverse role of English in the contemporary world as well as its deep penetration into their prospective personal and social lives. My interest in knowing my students’ reasons to like/learn English was my first/initial experience with learner/Second/foreign language (L2) motivation even without knowing academically its theoretical basis and practical manifestations. This interest grew with the realization of a discrepancy between

FAQs

What does the study investigate about Pakistani undergraduate students?

The study explores Pakistani undergraduate students’ learning experiences in immediate contexts and discusses how these experiences may play a motivational role in their L2 motivation.

How was the qualitative research conducted?

It is based on 20 semi-structured interviews after obtaining written consent from participants drawn from students in a large-scale L2 motivation research project.

What factors are linked to students’ confidence and satisfaction in learning English?

Participants with an English-medium background and good communication skills appeared more confident and satisfied than those from an Urdu-medium background or with less proficient skills.

Oct 15, 2026

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