59 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Asian Journal of Education and Training Vol. 11, No. 2, 59-69, 2025 ISSN(E) 2519-5387 DOI: 10.20448/edu.v11i2.6663 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English: A perception study at the HSC level Md. Munibur Rahman Department of English, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore 7408, Bangladesh. Email: munibur@just.edu.bd Abstract This study investigates the symbiotic interplay between attitude and motivation in the context of teaching and learning English at the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level. To delve into the impacts of attitudes and motivation on teaching and learning English, and to understand the associated issues for a solution, this mixed-methods study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to corroborate the inferences and decisions. To collect data, this study surveyed 530 students and 28 teachers with structured questionnaires and interviewed 10 teachers. The data collected through stratified random sampling were analyzed using SPSS and MS Excel. This study revealed that most of the students and teachers had positive attitudes towards teaching and learning English, though some easily addressable negative attitudes were reported as well. The teachers and students had high motivation for English, with some exceptions related mainly to teachers’ job disaffection and students’ low exposure to a favorable learning environment. The findings of this study are supposed to help adopt the required policies to remove the causes of negative attitudes and low motivation for teaching and learning English effectively and substantially. Keywords: Attitude, Learning English, Motivation, Perception, Teaching English. Citation | Rahman, M. M. (2025). Attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English: A perception study at the HSC level. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 11(2), 59–69. 10.20448/edu.v11i2.6663 History: Received: 13 January 2025 Revised: 21 April 2025 Accepted: 30 April 2025 Published: 7 May 2025 Licensed: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License Publisher: Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Institutional Review Board Statement: The Ethical Committee of the Jashore University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh has granted approval for this study on 5 February 2025 (Ref. No. ERC/FBST/JUST/2025/206). Transparency: The author confirms that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study; that no vital features of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned have been explained. This study followed all ethical practices during writing. Competing Interests: The author declares that there are no conflicts of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 60 2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................................................................................ 61 3. Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 4. Findings ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 62 5. Discussion .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 66 6. Limitations ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 67 7. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 8. Implications....................................................................................................................................................................................... 68 References .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 68 Appendix ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 68 mailto:munibur@just.edu.bd https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://www.doi.org/10.20448/edu.v11i2.6663 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9788-1304 Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 60 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Contribution of this paper to the literature This study explores teachers’ and students’ attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English at the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level in Bangladesh. The findings reveal that the teachers and students exhibit positive attitudes and high motivation for teaching and learning English. These attitudes and motivations can be leveraged by adopting strategic measures to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning English. Therefore, the insights from this study may contribute to improving English teaching-learning conditions, a vital issue in Bangladesh and beyond. 1. Introduction In the current educational and professional contexts all over the world, proficiency in English is considered to be a crucial component of academic success and professional accomplishment, as the mastery of English can help strengthen students’ academic records and open easy avenues for job seekers in the competitive job markets (Arkoudis, Baik, Bexley, & Doughney, 2014). For many other reasons, the importance of English proficiency has extended far beyond academic domains and job markets, as it substantially plays a pivotal role in nearly all spheres of our lives (Belcher, 2006). Given these facts, English is taught up to the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level as a compulsory subject in many countries worldwide. At the HSC level, English is considered to be a basic subject that plays a vital role in shaping and developing students’ prospects (Rahman et al., 2016). Therefore, proficiency in English is always a great concern for students, their guardians, and other stakeholders because a good grade in English paves the way for a brighter future. In keeping with this concern, officials of the Chittagong Education Board attribute low pass rates in the HSC in 2024 primarily to the high failure rate in English (Hossain, 2024). The same claim was reported by the Jashore Education Board in 2024 (Aman, 2024). Many factors influence and expedite students’ learning and acquisition of English effectively. Attitude and motivation are two factors that motivate and encourage students to master English (Al Othman & Shuqair, 2013). For this reason, it is crucial to understand the dynamics of attitude and motivation in learning and teaching English at the HSC level, which builds the foundation for students’ academic success in higher education and subsequently in their careers. As the HSC level serves as a threshold to higher education, which is conducted in English, it is essential to consider attitudes and motivation toward teaching and learning English. As a psychological construct, attitude comprises individuals’ beliefs, values, feelings, and predispositions towards an issue, incident, subject, or person, which may build up positive or negative feelings for something or somebody (Eagly & Chaiken, 1998). If someone has a positive attitude towards an academic topic or subject, it can significantly enhance their engagement in learning activities and accelerate subsequent academic performance (Kpolovie, Joe, & Okoto, 2014). Al Mamun and Rahman (2018) found that “students need to increase their positive attitude towards learning English to accelerate their success” (p. 865). Therefore, in the context of learning English, learners’ positive attitudes towards English can contribute to willing engagement in learning activities, spontaneous participation in class activities, increased retention rates, and achieving excellence in learning. On the contrary, negative attitudes may increase disinterest and disengagement, which thwart progress (Sakalidis, Hettinga, & Ling, 2023). Motivation, driven by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, plays a pivotal role in expediting the learning process, fueling the learning spirit, and building commitment, which is necessary for better and optimal learning outcomes (Sosik & Jung, 2011). Learners who are motivated are more likely to set and achieve their goals faster, spend more time, and make considerable efforts to achieve their goals spontaneously and effectively. Although attitudes and motivation toward teaching and learning English, especially at the HSC level, play a substantial role, this area remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study focused on the interwoven relationship of these two intrinsic and extrinsic factors in the context of teaching and learning English at this level. This study aimed to explore and address some critical research questions related to effective teaching-learning strategies and interventions based on attitudes and motivation. 1.1. Research Questions a) What attitudes do the HSC students and their teachers have towards learning and teaching English? b) What are the existing motivations of the students and teachers for learning and teaching English at the HSC level? c) What are the factors that influence the attitude and motivation of the teachers and learners? This study has a general objective and some specific objectives in line with the research questions. These are: 1.2. General Objective The general objective of this study was to find out the impacts of attitudes and motivation on teaching and learning English at the HSC level in Bangladesh. 1.3. Specific Objectives The specific objectives of this study are to. a) Find out the attitudes that the HSC students and their teachers have towards learning and teaching English. b) Assess the existing motivations of the students and teachers for learning and teaching English at the HSC level. c) Determine the factors that influence the attitude and motivation of the students and their teachers for learning and teaching English at the HSC level. 1.4. Research Significance The findings from this research are expected to provide new insights into the existing teaching-learning practices and knowledge in the field of educational psychology and English language pedagogy, especially based on the attitudes and motivations of the teachers and students toward teaching and learning English. The findings of this Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 61 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group study are likely to offer effective suggestions and recommendations to enhance both teaching practices and student learning experiences in the context of English education at the HSC level in Bangladesh and elsewhere. 2. Literature Review This section of this paper aims to explore the existing research on attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English, particularly from the perspectives of the students and teachers, focusing on the factors that shape learning attitudes and their impacts on the language acquisition process, motivation factors, and their role in this context, as well as the challenges faced by the students and teachers at the HSC level. Katz (1960) has defined attitude as an individual’s predisposition to evaluate a social element, such as a fact, event, person, etc., as favorable or unfavorable, and it shows certain behavior patterns toward it. Soibamcha and Pandey (2016) believe that experiences help form one’s attitudes through life-like interests, which make people behave in a particular characteristic way toward persons, professions, objects, issues, situations, etc., to which they are related. According to Murray (1938), motivation is a desire or willingness to do something that is caused by intrinsic or extrinsic factors of the learners. It pushes them to reach their desired goals by working hard and engaging spontaneously in learning activities. The subject feels some needs that create inner tensions and stimulate them to be active in satisfying their needs. Cognitively, these factors can reinforce the learners to perform appropriate actions. Gardner (1985) thinks that motivation is "the combination of effort plus a desire to achieve the goals of learning the language, plus favorable attitudes toward learning the language." Gardner and Lambert (1972) mentioned two types of motivation: integrative and instrumental, where integrative motivation refers to the learners’ desire to integrate themselves with the target language (TL) culture and feel an affinity towards different components of the TL culture, while instrumental motivation may inspire the learners to adopt the TL for some realistic or utilitarian purposes, e.g., to get a better job or higher salary, pass the examination, or obtain better opportunities for higher education, social prestige, etc. Therefore, highly motivated students generally do better than those who do not have high motivation (Harmer, 1998). Given these facts, motivation and attitude are like Siamese twins. Gardner (2008) added that attitudes and motivation are often treated together, given that attitudes have motivational properties and motivation has attitudinal implications. Simply put, favorable attitudes tend to cause the experience to be perceived positively. If, on the other hand, attitudes are negative, the experiences will tend to be perceived unfavorably, resulting in low motivation (Gardner, 1985). Many researchers all over the world have studied the role of attitudes and motivation in language learning. Their studies mainly delved into the diverse issues that shape students' and teachers’ motivation and attitudes toward learning and teaching English. For example, Kyriacou and Zhu (2008) conducted a study on this issue employing a questionnaire and interviews where 610 respondents were surveyed and 64 relevant individuals were interviewed to explore Shanghai high school students’ perceptions of their motivation for learning English, as well as their impacts and perceived influences. They found that instrumental motivation, i.e., life and career-based reasons, had stronger effects or influences on the students than intrinsic or integrative reasons. Getie (2020) carried out a study at Debremarkos Comprehensive Secondary School in Debre Markos town, Ethiopia, to investigate the factors that affect grade 10 students’ attitudes towards learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). They found that social factors (e.g., English native speakers, peer groups, and learners’ parents) positively affect students’ attitudes, while educational context factors, such as English language teachers and the English language learning situations (e.g., the classrooms, arrangements of seats, and the physical learning environment), had negative impacts on students’ attitudes. Jamila, Rahman, and Hasan (2024) conducted a study to explore how the use of technology impacts the developing tertiary-level students’ English language proficiency. They found that integrating technologies into the language learning process and activities creates positive attitudes among the students, leading towards the enhancement of high motivation for learning English. Moskowitz and Dewaele (2021) researched to explored teachers’ influence on the motivation of students to learn English. In their research, it was revealed that teachers’ enthusiasm and emotional well-being positively correlate with student motivation and attitudes toward learning English. Despite this large number of research works carried out in this field, there are several research gaps, particularly at the HSC level, where the complex dynamics of attitudes and motivation in this context remain incomplete and unexplored. As much of the literature on attitudes and motivation in English learning has tended to generalize the issues across diverse educational levels, it often has overlooked the unique challenges and motivations at the HSC level. Moreover, research, especially at the HSC level in the Bangladeshi context, remains scarce. Therefore, this research has focused on the attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English at the HSC level, which offers valuable insights into various influencing factors. The author expects that this research will meet the gaps, help address the challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of how to optimize students’ motivation and improve English teaching and learning outcomes at the HSC level. 3. Methodology This research adopted a mixed methods research design employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to delve into a holistic understanding of the students’ and teachers’ perceptions of attitudes and motivation in the context of learning and teaching English at the HSC level in Bangladesh. To collect data on these issues, this research employed a structured questionnaire to survey the respondents that contained mainly closed-ended options and an open-ended option. To meet the objectives, quantitative data collected through interviews with the teachers were used to supplement the inferences and decisions made based on quantitative data. Primary data were collected from ten HSC colleges in Khulna Division, Bangladesh. The secondary data were collected from different books, articles, textbooks, and electronic sources. A stratified purposive sampling procedure was followed throughout the study. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 62 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group 3.1. Research Setting and Participants The study was conducted at ten HSC colleges in Khulna Division, Bangladesh, focusing on both urban and rural areas to capture a diverse range of perspectives. With a structured questionnaire, the author surveyed 530 HSC students through stratified random sampling to ensure representation of different demographics, e.g., gender, socio- economic status, and academic performance levels. The author also surveyed 28 teachers and interviewed another 10 teachers from the same institutions, selected through a purposive sampling procedure. These teachers had varying years of experience in teaching English at the HSC level to provide diverse and meaningful insights. The colleges are: 1. Sholua Adarsha College, Chaugachha, Jashore, 2. Kazi Nazrul Islam College, Sadar, Jashore, 3. Nowabeke Degree College, Shymanagar, Satkhira, 4. Jashore Govt City College, Jashore, 5. Jashore Government Mohila College, Jashore, 6. Govt MM College, Jashore, 7. Alamdanga Government College, Chuadanga, 8. Mridhapara Mohila College, Chaugachha, Jashore, 9. Ahsanullah College, Khulna, 10. Saleha Begum Mohila Degree College, Harinakundu, Jhenaidah. 3.2. Data Collection Two distinct survey questionnaires and an interview checklist were developed for the students and teachers. The questionnaire surveys used a 5-point Likert scale with options ranging from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree," and "Always" to "Never." The questionnaires included three main sections: demographic information, attitudes toward English language learning/teaching, and motivation. The questionnaire for the students had 20 items, while the questionnaire for the teachers included 18 items designed to measure the relevant issues such as attitudes and motivation for teaching and learning English, their perceptions of the importance of English, feelings of enjoyment or anxiety, and opinions on the utility of English in academic and career pursuits, etc. Integrative or intrinsic motivations, such as personal interest in learning English, and instrumental or extrinsic motivations, such as the importance of English for academic success or future career prospects, were taken into consideration. Surveys were administered in person during scheduled class hours, with the researcher present to answer questions and clarify a few issues raised by the respondents. 3.3. Data Analysis Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques with the help of SPSS software. Means, standard deviations, and frequency counts were calculated for all survey items to understand the general trends in attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English. The findings have been grouped into broader themes to capture patterns and insights related to students' and teachers' perceptions, with a particular focus on challenges, motivational strategies, and attitudinal differences. To enhance validity, the quantitative and qualitative data were cross-validated. The themes emerging from students’ surveys have been compared with survey results from teachers’ surveys to provide a more nuanced understanding of attitudes and motivation. 4. Findings This section of the study presents the data collected employing a questionnaire survey to delve into teachers’ and students’ attitudes and motivation for teaching and learning English. The key indicators used in this study to analyze the responses include the mean (average score), SD (standard deviation), and percentage of responses (frequency count) for each level of agreement, where ‘SA’ stands for ‘strongly agree’, ‘A’ for ‘agree’, ‘N’ for ‘neutral’, ‘D’ for ‘disagree’, and ‘SD’ for ‘strongly disagree’. The analyzed data are presented below in tables and figures. 4.1. Students’ Attitudes towards Learning English As students' positive attitudes towards learning English play a vital role in learning the language, this study delved into the attitudes of the students towards learning this language. The findings based on the responses collected through the student survey are presented in the following Table 1. Table 1. Students’ attitude towards learning English. SN Variables Mean SD SA (%) A (%) N (%) D (%) SD (%) 1 I like my English class feedback very much. 4.28 0.993 54.9 27.5 9.8 5.7 2.1 2 I like to attend English classes because my English teacher is so good. 4.20 0.998 49.5 30.2 12.9 5.1 2.3 3 I enjoy learning English. 4.35 0.887 56.8 26.0 13.8 2.1 1.3 4 I like English classes so much that I want to study English more in the future. 3.99 1.120 43.4 28.1 16.0 9.2 3.2 5 I enjoy the activities of the English classes. 3.92 0.996 35.1 31.3 25.5 6.8 1.3 6 It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in English classes. 2.86 1.386 14.5 21.7 23.6 15.7 24.5 7 Sometimes, I daydream about dropping English. 2.75 1.487 16.6 20.0 16.4 15.8 31.1 8 I put off my English homework as much as possible. 2.61 1.309 8.5 19.8 23.8 19.6 28.3 9 If possible, I will give up the study of English. 2.58 1.449 14.5 15.3 17.9 18.5 33.8 10 I do not like my English teacher. 2.02 1.301 7.2 9.6 13.8 17.2 52.3 N=530 3.36 1.192 Note: SA= Strongly agree, A= Agree, N= Neutral, D= Disagree, SD= Strongly disagree. Table 1 presents students’ attitudes towards learning English. The overall mean score of 3.36 of the responses indicates that students generally have a positive attitude towards learning English. The overall standard deviation of 1.192 reflects a moderate level of variability, which suggests that the data points are relatively consistent with one another. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 63 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group It was divulged that most of the students surveyed (54.9% ‘strongly agree’ and 27.5% ‘agree’) liked English class feedback very much, while 79.7% of the students (49.5% ‘strongly agree’ and 30.2% ‘agree’) liked their English teachers. It was found that 82.8% of the students (56.8% ‘strongly agree’ and 26% ‘agree’) enjoyed learning English, while 43.4% of the students agreed that they liked English very much. Regarding the activities of the English classes, 35.1% of respondents strongly agreed that they liked those very much, whereas 36.2% of the students (14.5% ‘strongly agree’ and 21.7% ‘agree’) agreed that they felt embarrassed to volunteer answers in class (mean 2.86). It was revealed that a small number of students (16.6% ‘strongly agree’ and 20% ‘agree’) daydreamed about dropping English, while 28.3% of the students (8.5% ‘strongly agree’ and 19.8% ‘agree’) put off their English homework as much as possible. It was exposed that 29.8% of the students (14.5% ‘strongly agree’ and 15.3% ‘agree’) agreed to give up the study of English if it were possible, and only 7.2% of the students strongly agreed that they did not like their English teachers. Therefore, the overall attitudes of the students toward learning English were found to be positive. 4.2. Students’ Motivation for Learning English High motivation for learning any language results in fast and effective learning. This section of the questionnaire focused on the motivation of the students for learning English, and the results have been presented in the following table. Table 2. Students’ motivation for learning English. SN Variables Mean SD SA (%) A (%) N (%) D (%) SD (%) 1 English is important as it will help me get a good job. 4.65 0.842 79.6 11.7 4.7 1.5 2.5 2 English is important for a better salary and promotion. 4.72 0.697 81.9 11.5 4.5 0.9 1.1 3 Competence in English will enhance my academic results. 4.53 0.825 67.9 21.9 6.8 1.9 1.5 4 I am learning English because it is a compulsory course. 3.94 1.299 49.6 18.9 15.8 7.5 8.1 5 English is important to me as I need it to go abroad. 4.23 1.149 60.4 17.7 11.1 6.2 4.5 6 I need English because I want to acquire knowledge in various fields, and English is the most widely used language. 4.47 0.876 66.2 19.4 10.6 2.5 1.3 7 Studying English is important because it will make me more skilled. 4.71 0.594 77.0 18.9 2.8 1.1 0.2 8 Studying English is important because it will allow me to be more at ease with people who speak English. 4.56 0.761 69.8 19.8 7.5 2.6 0.2 9 I feel English speakers have something to be proud of as English is a global language. 4.55 0.851 72.1 16.0 7.9 2.6 1.3 10 English is one of my favorite subjects. 3.62 1.269 31.1 28.1 20.8 11.3 8.7 N=530 4.40 0.916 Table 2 presents students' motivation levels for learning English, with an overall mean score of 4.40, indicating a high level of motivation. The standard deviation of 0.916 suggests that the data were relatively consistent. A large number of students (79.6%) considered English to be an important subject as it would help them get a good job, and 81.9% of respondents strongly agreed that English was important for better salaries and promotions. The data also revealed that 89.9% of the students (67.9% ‘strongly agree’ and 21.9% ‘agree’) believed that competence in English would enhance their academic results. It was found that 68.5% of the students (49.6% ‘strongly agree’ and 18.9% ‘agree’) wanted to learn English because it was a compulsory subject, while 78.1% of the students (60.4% ‘strongly agree’ and 17.7% ‘agree’) agreed that English was important to them as they needed it for going abroad (mean 4.23). They showed that 85.6% of the students (66.2% ‘strongly agree’ and 19.4% ‘agree’) believed that they needed English to acquire knowledge in various fields, as English was the most-used language, and 95.9% of students (77% ‘strongly agree’ and 18.9% ‘agree’) agreed that studying English was important because it would make them more skilled. Eighty-nine percent of respondents (69.8% ‘strongly agree’ and 19.8% ‘agree’) agreed that studying English was important because it would allow them to be more at ease with people who speak English, while 88.1% of the students (72.1% ‘strongly agree’ and 16% ‘agree’) agreed that they felt the English speakers had something to be proud of, as English is a global language. A good number of students agreed (31.1% ‘strongly agree’ and 28.1% ‘agree’) that English was one of their favorite subjects. 4.3. The Reasons for Students’ Low Motivation and Negative Attitudes High motivation and negative attitudes towards learning English may slow down the learning process. For this reason, this study aimed to find out the opinions of the teachers regarding the reasons for the low motivation and negative attitudes of the students towards learning English. In the open-ended section of the teachers’ questionnaire, the teachers were asked to write their observations on the reasons for the low motivation of the students to learn English. The results have been presented in the following figure. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 64 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Figure 1. The reasons for students’ low motivation for learning English. Figure 1 presents the causes for which the students have low motivation for learning English from the perspective of the teachers. Among the top reasons found for students' low motivation for learning English, based on the observations of the teachers, was the lack of qualified English teachers (17% responses), students’ negative attitudes (e.g., English was confusing, complicated, difficult, etc.) towards learning English (16% responses), too much emphasis on examination results (11% responses), lack of authentic assessments of oral language, reading, and writing (10% responses), evaluation only through final examinations, and no importance placed on class performance, and the like. 4.4. Teachers’ Attitudes towards Teaching English This section of the questionnaire focused on the attitudes of the teachers towards their profession of teaching English. The teachers’ questionnaire had a total of 18 items. The findings of 16 items have been presented in Tables 3 and 4, and the findings of the rest two items have been presented in Figures 2 and 3. Table 3. Teachers’ attitudes towards teaching. SN Statements Mean SD A lw a y s (% ) V e ry o ft e n ( % ) O ft e n ( % ) S o m e ti m e s (% ) N e v e r (% ) 1 It gives me pleasure when the students do well in English. 4.93 0.26 92.9 7.1 00 00 00 2 I enjoy teaching English. 4.64 0.56 67.9 28.6 3.6 00 00 3 I welcome questions from the students. 4.61 0.73 71.4 21.4 3.6 3.6 00 4 I feel annoyed when my students give the wrong answer. 2.25 1.27 10.7 3.6 17.9 35.7 32.1 SN Statements Mean SD SA (%) A (%) N (%) D (%) SD (%) 5 I like to innovate activities for English classes. 4.18 0.81 42.9 35.7 17.9 3.6 00 6 I want to be trained in ELT to be a better teacher. 4.18 0.86 42.9 35.7 17.9 3.6 00 7 It is very boring to evaluate examination scripts. 3.25 1.08 7.1 39.3 35.7 7.1 10.7 8 My job is very enjoyable and stimulating for me. 3.71 1.01 28.6 25.0 35.7 10.7 00 9 I like my classes because my students are so good. 3.43 0.96 17.9 21.4 46.4 14.3 00 10 Students’ good performance increases my prestige. 4.11 0.88 39.3 35.7 21.4 3.6 00 11 The textbook satisfies the criteria of a good textbook 3.36 1.19 14.3 39.3 25.0 10.7 10.7 N=28 3.88 0.87 Table 3 presents teachers’ attitudes toward teaching English as a profession. The overall mean score of 3.88 of the responses indicates that the teachers have a positive attitude towards teaching English. The overall standard deviation of 0.87 indicates a moderate level of variability, suggesting that the data points are fairly consistent with one another. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 65 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group 4.5. Motivation of the Teachers for Teaching English Motivation improves the work performance of professionals because a motivated person can invest maximum effort and commitment into their work. Positive motivation bridges the gap between an individual’s potential and their spontaneous engagement in work. Table 4. Teachers’ motivation for teaching. SN Variables Mean SD SA (%) A (%) N (%) D (%) SD (%) 1 I think teaching is a prestigious job. 4.25 0.89 50.0 28.6 17.9 3.6 00 2 A teacher of English has a special social status. 3.86 1.00 28.6 39.3 25.0 3.6 3.6 3 I am pleased with my salary, promotion, and job description. 2.79 1.34 21.4 00 28.6 35.7 14.3 4 I think the students enjoy learning English. 3.25 1.04 17.9 14.3 42.9 25.0 00 5 I joined teaching by choice. 4.32 0.72 46.4 39.3 14.3 00 00 N=28 3.694 0.998 Table 4 presents the results of the survey that evaluates the motivation of the teachers for teaching English as a profession. The overall mean of 3.69 across all items indicates a generally positive motivation among the teachers. The overall standard deviation of 0.99 suggests a moderate level of variation in responses. It was found that most of the teachers feel most motivated by the prestige of being a teacher (highest mean of 4.25), while satisfaction with salary, promotion, and job description is the lowest (mean of 2.79). However, most teachers joined the profession by choice (mean of 4.32), which is a positive indicator of intrinsic motivation. Figure 2. Time available for teachers to prepare for classes. Figure 2 presents a partial result of the survey that evaluates teachers’ motivation related to managing or having adequate time to prepare for their classes. The majority of responses (78.6%) suggest that most of the teachers get a pretty good amount of time either often, very often, or always for the preparation of their English classes, though some (17.90%) teachers report that they occasionally can manage enough time, while a few teachers (3.60%) scarcely could manage enough time for this purpose. This figure suggests a high motivation among the teachers to manage or have adequate time for getting prepared for their classes. Figure 3. Extra efforts are made by the teachers for the students. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 66 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Figure 3 also presents the survey results that evaluate teachers’ motivation related to the extra efforts they make for the benefit of the students who need it. The majority of responses (89%) suggest that most of the teachers make extra efforts either often, very often, or always for their students, while very few teachers (11%) sometimes make these efforts, and none report a complete lack of extra effort. This figure suggests a positive trend among the teachers toward supporting their students through additional efforts. 4.6. Factors Improving the Motivation and Attitudes of the Students The interviewers talked about the low motivation and negative attitudes of the students toward learning English, as well as the initiatives that could potentially improve their motivation and attitudes. For instance, they emphasized that language learning should be enjoyable. If English songs, drama, and movies are used in the classroom and learning activities, learners will enjoy the language more. By designing interesting materials and using engaging short stories, autobiographies, poetry, extracts from drama, etc., in classes, we can enhance students’ motivation. Presentation, recitation, and performance as part of lessons, publishing English wall magazines, using technology purposefully in groups through social media platforms, and establishing active language or debate clubs and literary clubs under the supervision of trainers can improve the motivation and attitudes of the students. Rewarding students for good performance and adopting effective teaching-learning methodologies can also contribute to this purpose. We should bring about change in the assessment and academic recognition of students for the language skills they need to acquire. The medium of instruction for some other subjects should also be English. Competitive functions in English can motivate students to learn English. 5. Discussion The general objective of this research was to investigate the impacts of attitudes and motivation on teaching and learning English from the perspectives of the students and their teachers, as well as other issues related to this context at the HSC Level in Bangladesh. It was found that both the students and teachers had positive attitudes toward learning and teaching English, although a contrasting perspective on this learning dynamic has also been reported to some extent. 5.1. Students’ Attitudes towards Learning English Students’ attitudes towards learning English are positive, and their positive attitudes are much higher than their negative attitudes towards learning English. This finding aligns with that of the study “Factors Affecting the Attitudes of Students towards Learning English as a Foreign Language” conducted by Getie (2020). It is found that most of the students like their English class feedback very much. Moreover, a large number of students like to attend their English classes because they think that their English teachers are very good. Besides, most of the students enjoy learning English, while a good number of students like their English classes so much that they want to study English further in the future. Apart from this, it is revealed that the students enjoy the activities of their English classes. The teachers also believe that their students enjoy learning English. Students’ negative attitudes toward learning English are also reported, though these are far lower than their positive attitudes. A poor number of students, compared to those with positive attitudes, feel embarrassed to volunteer answers in English classes. Moreover, only a few students sometimes daydream about dropping out of English courses. Besides, some students put off their English homework while a few students want to give up the study of English. Apart from these, it is found that a few students do not like their English teachers. 5.2. Teachers’ Attitudes towards Teaching English Teachers’ attitudes towards teaching English are very positive, though significant negative attitudes towards teaching English are reported as well. This aligns with the findings of Agcam and Babanoglu (2016), as it is revealed in this study that all the teachers find pleasure when their students perform well in English in the examinations. Additionally, most of the teachers enjoy teaching English, and they welcome questions from the students in English classes. Moreover, it is found that a large number of the teachers like to innovate new activities for the English classes, though this claim is rebutted by the students. It is also revealed that most of the teachers want to be trained in English Language Teaching (ELT) to become better educators. However, according to a significant number of teachers, teaching as a job is not very enjoyable or stimulating. In contrast to this perspective, a large number of teachers noted that students’ good performance enhances their social standing. Many teachers remarked that English for Today, the textbook, satisfies the criteria of a good textbook. Teachers’ negative attitudes towards teaching English are somewhat mixed and considerably significant. It is revealed that only a small number of teachers feel annoyed when their students give wrong answers. Some teachers opined that they enjoy their classes because their students are so good. It is found that evaluating examination scripts is boring for many teachers. 5.3. Students’ Motivation for Learning English Almost all the students observed that English is important to them as it would help them get good jobs in the future. Most of the students opined that English is important for better salaries and promotions as well in their careers. This finding aligns with the findings of Rehman, Bilal, Sheikh, Bibi, and Nawaz (2014) in their study. Furthermore, most of the students believed that their competence in English would enhance their academic results, while a good number of students study English because it is a compulsory course. Besides, a large number of students observed that English is important to them as they need it for going abroad. Most of the students opined that they need English because they want to acquire knowledge in various fields, and English is the most used language or communication tool for this purpose today. Moreover, almost all the students believed that studying English is important to them because it would make them more skilled, while a large number of students asserted that studying English is also important to them because it would allow them to be more at ease with people who speak English. In addition, the majority of the students stated that they feel English speakers have something to be proud of, as English is a global language. Many students claimed English to be one of their favorite subjects. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 67 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group 5.4. Teachers’ Motivation for Teaching English Though "Education in many underdeveloped countries is in crisis, the symptoms of which ... teacher disaffection" (Phillipson, 2012), most of the teachers surveyed have high motivation for teaching English, with some exceptions regarding job satisfaction. It is found that almost all teachers consider teaching a prestigious job. A large number of teachers observed that a teacher of English has a special social status, and nearly all of the teachers joined teaching by choice. Besides, 53.6% of the teachers get enough time for the preparation of classes, while 57.1% of the teachers make extra efforts for the students. Teachers’ responses regarding the role of gender in enhancing motivation for learning English are mixed. It was opined by 64.3% of the teachers that gender affects the motivation for learning English. It was believed by 42.9% of the teachers that girls are more motivated, whereas 28.6% of the teachers believed that boys are more motivated for learning English, though 28.6% of the teachers believed that gender has no role in the motivation for learning English. This study revealed some factors that negatively influence students’ and teachers’ attitudes and motivation for teaching and learning English at the HSC level. It is found that a significant number of teachers are not pleased with their salary, promotion, and job description. According to many teachers, students do not enjoy learning English for various reasons, which have impacted their attitudes and motivation for learning English. Some of these reasons include the lack of relevance of English in everyday life, lack of confidence in spoken English, improper teaching methods, greater emphasis on examinations than on acquiring real communication skills, evaluation only through final examinations with no importance placed on class performance, lack of authentic assessments of oral language skills, reading and writing skills, the dominance of the mother tongue at home and in the neighborhood, lack of students’ spontaneous effort in learning English, and inadequate qualified English teachers. 5.5. Factors Improving the Motivation and Attitudes of the Students According to the interviewers, initiatives should be taken to potentially improve students’ motivation and attitudes. For instance, language learning should be enjoyable. Interesting songs, drama, and movies can be used in the classroom and learning activities. The teachers need to design attractive materials and use interesting short stories, autobiographies, poetry, extracts from drama, etc., in classes to enhance students’ motivation. Presentation, recitation, and performance as part of lessons in English, wall magazines, active language or debate clubs, and literary clubs can improve the motivation and attitudes of the students. Rewarding the students for good performance and adopting effective teaching-learning methodologies can also be useful. Changes in assessment and academic recognition of the students can work. The medium of instruction for some other subjects should also be English. Competitive functions in English can enhance their motivation as well. 6. Limitations As this study followed a purposive sampling procedure due to time and resource constraints and collected data only from ten colleges in Khulna Division, there is a possibility that it may not represent the diversity of attitudes and motivational factors regarding teaching and learning English at the HSC level across the country. Students’ interviews and the integration of other useful methods and tools, like classroom observation and Focused Group Discussion (FGD), could provide more in-depth insights into these issues. The multi-level English language proficiency of the HSC students may have influenced their responses during data collection. Due to various unavoidable reasons, this study could not focus much on other contextual factors such as institutional infrastructure, family background, or societal attitudes toward English learning. Besides, this study intentionally avoided sensitive personal issues and experiences to ensure ethical considerations. Despite these limitations in sampling and data collection tools, the findings will contribute to a deeper understanding and insightful exploration of the attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning English at the HSC level. This study may set the stage for further research to address the complexities in this field. 7. Conclusion The students have a very positive attitude towards learning English. According to almost all the students, English is very important in their lives for various reasons. Most of the students like their English classes, English class feedback, and English teachers very much. They enjoy their English class activities and want to study English further in the future. Though some students have negative attitudes toward learning English, these are not as significant compared to their highly positive attitudes. Some of their negative attitudes towards learning English include feeling embarrassed to volunteer answers in English classes, feeling like dropping English courses, putting off their homework, disliking their teachers, and giving up on English. Most of the teachers’ attitudes toward teaching English are also positive, except for an insignificant number of teachers’ negative attitudes toward teaching English. Almost all the teachers enjoy teaching English, and it gives pleasure to almost all of them when their students do well in classes and examinations. Moreover, most of the teachers welcome questions from their students, and they do not get angry when their students fail to give correct answers. Apart from these, most of them like to innovate learning activities for the students, though this claim is rebutted by the students. Furthermore, most of them want to be trained in ELT to ameliorate their professional skills, while almost all the teachers believe that the good performance of their students increases their social standing. According to a good number of teachers, the existing textbook fulfills the criteria of a good textbook. However, there are some negative attitudes toward their professional dissatisfaction as well. For most of the teachers, teaching as a job is not enjoyable and stimulating. They are not satisfied with their job description, promotion, and salary structures. They do not think that their students are capable of learning English, motivated, and interested in learning English. Besides, a good number of teachers do not enjoy evaluating examination scripts. The negative attitudes of the teachers toward teaching are considerably low compared to their highly positive attitudes toward teaching English. Almost all the students have high motivation for learning English, and girls are found to have higher motivation for learning English than boys. Almost all the students believe that their competence in English would enhance their academic performance and help them secure good jobs. They also think English is necessary for going abroad and Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 68 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group acquiring knowledge in various fields. Besides, competence in English makes people more skilled and more at ease with those who speak English. In addition to these, most of the students think that English speakers have something to be proud of. However, a few students study English just because it is a compulsory subject. Most of the teachers have high motivation for teaching, with some exceptions due to job dissatisfaction. Almost all teachers joined the teaching profession by choice, as they consider teaching a prestigious job with a special social status. They make extra efforts for the students and have the necessary time to prepare for the classes. However, most of the teachers are displeased with their salary and promotion, which they think are not commensurate with their job description. A few teachers believe that their students do not enjoy learning English. 8. Implications The findings of this study are expected to contribute to improving English teaching-learning strategies by addressing the critical issues of attitudes and motivation. While the findings revealed in this study highlight predominantly positive attitudes and high levels of motivation toward teaching and learning English, it also identifies areas of concern such as slightly negative attitudes and sporadic low motivation that need to be addressed. 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Full range leadership development: Pathways for people, profit, and the planet. New York: Psychology Press. Appendix Table 1A presents the questionnaire designed for the students. Table 1A. Students’ questionnaire. SN Statements S A A N D S D 1 I like my English class feedback very much. 2 I like to attend English classes because my English teacher is so good. 3 I enjoy learning English. 4 I like English classes so much that I want to study English more in the future. 5 I enjoy the activities of the English classes. 6 It embarrasses me to volunteer answers in English classes. 7 Sometimes, I daydream about dropping English. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/hes.v6n3p21 https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijels.3.5.29 http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v2n4p123 https://www.daily-sun.com/post/772394 https://doi.org/10.2307/40264514 https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2020.1738184 https://dailycountrytodaybd.com/story/chittagong-board%27s-pass-rate-drops-due-to-failures-in-english https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n3.04g https://doi.org/10.1086/266945 https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690701811099 https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1707205 https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.9n.4p.15 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296164 Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2025, 11(2): 59-69 69 © 2025 by the author; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group SN Statements S A A N D S D 8 I put off my English homework as much as possible. 9 If possible, I will give up the study of English. 10 I do not like my English teacher. 11 English is important as it will help me get a good job. 12 English is important for a better salary and promotion. 13 Competence in English will enhance my academic results. 14 I am learning English because it is a compulsory course. 15 English is important to me as I need it to go abroad. 16 I need English because I want to acquire knowledge in various fields, and English is the most widely used language. 17 Studying English is important because it will make me more skilled. 18 Studying English is important because it will allow me to be more at ease with people who speak English. 19 I believe that English speakers have something to be proud of, as English is a global language. 20 English is one of my favorite subjects. Note: SA= Strongly agree, A= Agree, N= Neutral, D= Disagree, SD= Strongly disagree. Table 2A presents the questionnaire designed for the teachers. Table 2A. Teachers’ questionnaire. SN Statements S A A N D S D 1 I like to innovate activities for English classes. 2 I want to be trained in ELT to be a better teacher. 3 It is very boring to evaluate examination scripts. 4 My job is very enjoyable and stimulating for me. 5 I like my classes because my students are so good. 6 Students’ good performance increases my prestige. 7 The textbook satisfies the criteria of a good textbook. 8 I think teaching is a prestigious job. 9 A teacher of English has a special social status. 10 I am pleased with my salary, promotion, and job description. 11 I think the students enjoy learning English. 12 I joined teaching by choice. SN Statement A lw ay s V er y o ft en O ft en S o m et im es N ev er 13 It gives me pleasure when the students do well in English. 14 I enjoy teaching English. 15 I welcome questions from the students. 16 I feel annoyed when my students give the wrong answer. 17 I get enough time for the preparation of the classes. 18 I make extra efforts for the students. Open-ended question: Why are some students not motivated to learn English? Note: SA= Strongly agree, A= Agree, N= Neutral, D= Disagree, SD= Strongly disagree. Interview Checklist 1. What is the attitude (positive/negative) of the students towards learning English? 2. What is the attitude (Positive/Negative) of the teachers towards teaching English? 3. What is the motivation level (High/Low) of the students for learning English? 4. What is the motivation level (high/low) of the teachers for teaching English? 5. How can we change the motivation and attitude of the students toward learning English? 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