EXPLORING LEARNER BELIEFS, ATTITUDE AND MOTIVATION TOWARDS LEARNING ENGLISH IN A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

Abstract

Although many educational institutions have started the blended learning system (integration of face-to-face and online mode of teaching and learning) all over the country, the language learning system in Sri Lanka has been predominantly following the traditional classroom, including Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) for decades. However, the unexpected outbreak of the deadly disease called COVID -19 has changed the language learning system across the country. It has almost forced the educators towards the paradigm shift from the face-to-face classroom to the online mode. The technological innovations primarily assist in enhancing the spread of knowledge through e-learning, even during the pandemic condition. However, in the language teaching-learning context, it seems to be a challenge to some extent. The objective of this study is to profoundly examine to what extent the learners acquire the practice of ESL virtual learning, the facts that influence their beliefs regarding the online learning process, and the effectiveness of e-learning regarding their beliefs, attitude, and motivation level in language learning in the virtual classroom. This study also attempts to shed light on the challenges associated with online teaching-learning practices. The research scenario of this study is the learners who are following the course unit ‘Business Communication’ in the Faculty of Business Studies of the Vavuniya Campus. The focus of this course unit is on the theoretical aspects of business communication along with the four language skills; speaking, writing, reading and listening. This study is based on the qualitative methodology, while the interviews play the key tool for collecting data from the study group. The data were collected unbiasedly regarding ethnicity, religion, gender, and the target group's socio-economic status. From the data analysis, this study formulates that the learners’ beliefs, attitudes, and motivation showed less focus on virtual language learning than the traditional mode of language pedagogy.