An Exploratory Study of EFL Students' Identity in Learning English at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University

Abstract

"Drawing on Ueki and Takeuchi’s (2012) validation of the L2 Motivational Self System, this study investigates how EFL students at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, construct their English learning identity. It examines the relationships among the system’s key components: the ideal English self, the ought-to English self, and the English learning experience, including learning attitude and social influence, as well as affective factors such as motivation, self-efficacy, and language learning anxiety. A mixed-methods approach of quantitative and qualitative data was utilized. In the quantitative phase, a Likert-scale questionnaire was administered to 101 participants. In contrast, the qualitative phase consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted with selected students to gain further insight into their identity construction and emotional experiences while learning English. The findings demonstrate that identity construction is an evolving, situated process that concerns students’ aspirations, engagement with peers, and cultural identity in relation to learning English. This study extends the application of the L2 Motivational Self System to the Vietnamese EFL context. It provides pedagogical implications for enhancing learner motivation, emotional well-being, and identity development in higher education."