Religious Beliefs and L2 Motivation in Islamic Schools: Integrating the L2 Motivational Self System with Islamic Identity

Agus Husein As Sabiq

Abstract


This study examined how students’ religious beliefs relate to their motivation to learn English in four Islamic secondary schools in Central Java, Indonesia. Using a mixed-methods design, questionnaires were administered to 287 students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven purposively selected participants. Correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between religious beliefs and English learning motivation (r = .308, p < .001), and regression analysis indicated that religious beliefs explained 9.5% of the variance in motivation (R² = .095). Qualitative findings revealed that students positioned English within Islamic concepts of lifelong knowledge-seeking (thalab al-‘ilm) and global Islamic communication (da’wah), viewing English as compatible with, and supportive of, their religious identity rather than as a threat. These results suggest that, in Islamic school contexts, religious beliefs can function as a motivational resource for learning English when appropriately acknowledged in pedagogy.

Keywords


Religious beliefs, L2 motivation, L2 Motivational Self System, Islamic schools, English language learning

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdullah, H., Ibrahim, M., Harun, H., Wahab, N. A. B., Idrus, M. M., Baharun, H., Baharudin, D. F., & Ishak, M. (2022). Islamic drive and L2 motivational learning model among Tahfiz students. International Journal of Health Sciences. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6ns6.10460

Ahmad, I. S., Abdullah, H., & A Ghani, M. F. (2014). Attitudes and Motivation toward Learning the English Language among Students from Islamic Education System Background: Exploring the Views of Teachers. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 8(3), 195–208. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v8i3.262

Al-Hoorie, A. H. (2018). The l2 motivational self system: A meta-analysis. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.14746/SSLLT.2018.8.4.2

Al-Khusain, A. A. (2022). FOSTERING RELIGIOUS MODERATION THROUGH LEARNING ENGLISH AT PESANTREN’S MA’HAD ALY. ELTICS : Journal of English Language Teaching and English Linguistics, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.31316/eltics.v7i1.2200

Al Rabai, A. A. (2014). Teaching English in the Arab World : A Future in Turmoil. Education, 4(5).

Behtash, I. Z., Hashemi, S. H., Farokhipour, S., Mahalati, S., & Education, H. (2017). Influence of Religious Identity on a Foreign Language Learning: A Case of Iranian EFL Learners. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies, 5(August).

Csizer, K., & Dornyei, Z. (2005). The Internal Structure of Language Learning Motivation and Its Relationship with Language Choice and Learning Effort. The Modern Language Journal, 89(1), 19–36. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0026-7902.2005.00263.x

Dörnyei, Z. (2003). Attitudes, orientations, and motivations in language learning: Advances in theory, research, and applications. In Language Learning (Vol. 53, Issue SUPPL. 1, pp. 3–32). https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9922.53222

Dörnyei, Z. (2022). The Interface of Psychology and Second Language Acquisition. In Language, Cognition, and Mind (Vol. 11). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-66175-5_2

Dörnyei, Z., & Csizér, K. (2005). The Effects of Intercultural Contact and Tourism on Language Attitudes and Language Learning Motivation. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 24(4), 327–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X05281424

Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2013). Teaching and researching motivation, second edition. In Teaching and Researching Motivation, Second Edition. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315833750

Farid, A., Adara, R. A., & Ashar, S. (2023). The impacts of school on English learners’ motivation in Indonesian Islamic schools. Englisia: Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v10i2.14656

Farid, A., & Lamb, M. (2020). English for Da’wah? L2 motivation in Indonesian pesantren schools. System, 94, 102310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102310

Foye, K. (2014). Religion in the ELT classroom: Teachers’ perspectives. The Language Teacher, 38(2). https://doi.org/10.37546/jalttlt38.2-1

Gardner, R. C. (2008). Individual Differences in Second and Foreign Language Learning. In Encyclopedia of Language and Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30424-3_87

Hidayati, T. (2017). English Language Teaching in Islamic Education in Indonesia; Challenges and Opportunities. Englisia Journal, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.22373/ej.v3i2.751

Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and Affect. Psychological Review, 94(3). https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.94.3.319

Ilosvay, K. (2016). Religion in Schools? The Importance of Recognizing the Impact of Religious Experiences. The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community, 1(2), 1–28. https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/jfec/vol1/iss2/2/

Jenkins, J. (2013). English as a lingua franca in the international university: The politics of academic English language policy. In English as a Lingua Franca in the International University: The Politics of Academic English Language Policy. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203798157

Kwon, E. (2023). Ought-to L2 Self and Its Influence on L2 Motivation and Demotivation: A Case of College English Majors. English Teaching(South Korea), 78(4). https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.78.4.202312.165

Lamb, M. (2012). A Self System Perspective on Young Adolescents’ Motivation to Learn English in Urban and Rural Settings. Language Learning, 62(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2012.00719.x

Lepp-Kaethler, E., & Dörnyei, Z. (2013). The role of sacred texts in enhancing motivation and living the vision in second language acquisition. In Christian Faith and English Language Teaching and Learning: Research on the Interrelationship of Religion and ELT. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203337738

Liyanage, I., Grimbeek, P., & Bryer, F. (2010). Relative cultural contributions of religion and ethnicity to the language learning strategy choices of ESL students in Sri Lankan and Japanese high schools. The Asian EFL Journal Quarterly, 12(1), 165–180.

Malallah, S. (2000). English in an Arabic Environment: Current Attitudes to English among Kuwait University Students. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050008667698

Mambu, J. (2017). Addressing Religious Issues and Power in ELT Classrooms: Voices from English Teachers in Indonesia. International Journal of Christianity and English Language Teaching, 4(1).

Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). P. selves. (1986). Possibles Selves. Markus, H., & Nurius, P. (1986). Possible Selves. American Psychologist, 41, 954-969Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(4).

Moharami, M. (2024). Learning English and its implications for Iranians’ cultural values and practices. Issues in Educational Research, 34(2).

Mohd-Asraf, R. (2005). English and Islam: A Clash of Civilizations? Journal of Language, Identity & Education, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327701jlie0402_3

Papi, M. (2010). The L2 motivational self system, L2 anxiety, and motivated behavior: A structural equation modeling approach. System, 38(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2010.06.011

Pasquale, M. (2013). Folk linguistics, content-oriented discourse analysis, and language teacher beliefs. In Christian Faith and English Language Teaching and Learning: Research on the Interrelationship of Religion and ELT. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203337738

Poedjiastutie, D., Akhyar, F., Hidayati, D., & Nurul Gasmi, F. (2018). Does Curriculum Help Students to Develop Their English Competence? A Case in Indonesia. Arab World English Journal, 9(2), 175–185. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol9no2.12

Portera, A. (2008). Intercultural education in Europe: epistemological and semantic aspects. Intercultural Education, 19(6). https://doi.org/10.1080/14675980802568277

Rassouli, A., & Osam, N. (2019). English Language Education Throughout Islamic Republic Reign in Iran: Government Policies and People’s Attitudes. SAGE Open, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019858435

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1999.1020

Sabiq, A. H. A., Roqib, M., Sarah, S., & Ma’ruf, A. (2022). Pesantren Students’ Religious Beliefs and Attitudes toward Learning English in Indonesia. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2022-2801-05

Setiyadi, A. B., & Sukirlan, M. (2016). Language attitude and motivation of the Islamic school students: How madrasa students of the academic year 2013-2014 in Indonesia perceive English, English teaching and learning and native speakers of English. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 24(1).

Shah, M. (2011). Classical Islamic Discourse on the Origins of Language: Cultural Memory and the Defense of Orthodoxy. Numen, 58(2–3), 314–343. https://doi.org/10.1163/156852711X562335

Stockton, R. J. (2018). Recultured language in Indonesian English Language Teaching. Indonesian JELT: Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.25170/ijelt.v13i2.1454

Taguchi, T., Magid, M., & Papi, M. (2009). 4. The L2 Motivational Self System among Japanese, Chinese and Iranian Learners of English: A Comparative Study. In Z. Dörnyei & E. Ushioda (Eds.), Motivation, Language Identity and the L2 Self (pp. 66–97). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691293-005

Ushioda, E. (2011). Language learning motivation, self and identity: Current theoretical perspectives. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2010.538701




DOI: https://doi.org/10.31004/jele.v11i1.1989

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Agus Husein As Sabiq

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.