Attitudes and anxieties of business and education students towards English: some data from the Basque Country. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Santos, Alaitz; Cenoz, Jasone; Gorter, Durk
• Is Part Of: Language, culture and curriculum. Volume 31:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 110
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Higher education -- English -- attitudes -- anxiety -- gender; Language and languages -- Periodicals; Language and languages -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 405
• DOI: 10.1080/07908318.2017.1350189
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0790-8318

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of this article is to focus on university students' attitudes towards English and their anxieties concerning the use of English in the Basque Country, a multilingual context where exposure to English is limited but internationalisation is an important aim. Participants were 360 undergraduate university students of business ( N = 180) and education ( N = 180) at the University of the Basque Country. The results of the questionnaires indicate that business students had a more positive attitude(s) towards English than education students. The findings also indicate that female business students have a relatively positive attitude in comparison to male business students but also a higher level of anxiety. The results are discussed as related to the situation of English-medium instruction in Southern European bilingual areas and previous studies on gender, attitudes and anxiety.