Grade 9 regular program students’ motivation in learning English as a second language at a secondary demonstrative school in Bangkok, Thailand

This study examines the motivation of Grade 9 students enrolled in a regular program at a secondary school in Bangkok, Thailand, to learn English as a second language. Specifically, it examines the relative influence of integrative and instrumental motivation on students' overall motivation to learn English. The participants consisted of 153 Grade 9 students. Data were collected using a questionnaire adopted from Kanoksilapatham et al. (2021), which comprises two sections: demographic information and 26 items measuring various dimensions of language learning motivation using a five-point Likert scale. The analysis revealed that among the five key motivational components: Ideal L2 Self, Ought-to L2 Self, Instrumentality: Promotion and Prevention, Ethnocentrism and Integrativeness, and Attitudes toward Learning English, the most noticeable factor was Ethnocentrism and Integrativeness. This was followed by Instrumentality: Promotion and Prevention. The components Ideal L2 Self and Ought-to L2 Self demonstrated similar levels of influence, while Attitudes toward Learning English also emerged as a meaningful contributor to students’ motivation. Notably, many participants reported positive perceptions of their English teachers and instructional methods. Furthermore, findings indicated that instrumental motivation exerted a slightly stronger influence on students’ engagement in English language learning compared to integrative motivation. Based on these results, it is recommended that educators foster culturally responsive learning environments that emphasize both the practical advantages and intercultural benefits of English proficiency. Suggested strategies include implementing cross-cultural projects, incorporating media from English-speaking contexts, and facilitating discussions on international career pathways.