Since English has been chosen as the international language, many second language learners from around the globe strive to learn English as early as possible, and many institutions have incorporated English as the medium of instruction in the classroom. However, learning the subject matter using English instead of the learners’ first language, may have its challenges, which could complicate the learning process. Thus, this research aims to identify the language attitude of Indonesian undergraduate students towards the use of English as the medium of instruction (EMI) in their online university classes that they attended during the 2020-2021 academic year, and discover the extent to which they consider EMI as useful to help them in pursuing their learning goals. Understanding their language attitude towards English is vital as it involves their beliefs about themselves, the target language, the learning process, and the setting in which they use the language, which, according to White (2008), play a defining role in the learners’ learning process and language acquisition.
Mixed method approach was applied as this study’s methodology to reveal the participants’ perceptions towards English and whether or not EMI supports their learning process in pursuing their learning goals. The data of this research were taken from close-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, which were filled by 101 undergraduate students, and ten of which were willing to be interviewed. The results showed a significant tendency towards positive language attitude towards English as the learners showed the qualities of accepting and making efforts to learn English. Secondly, the results also showed an inclination towards positive perception of EMI, which was viewed as helpful by the learners to pursue their learning goals. The obtained results of this research can be used to evaluate and refine the existing curricula and learning process in the classroom to better assist the undergraduate learners in pursuing their desired goals. |