Language Learning Motivation and English Language Proficiency among Ata-Manobo Senior High School Students

This study examines the levels of language learning motivation and English proficiency among Ata-Manobo senior high school students, focusing on both integrative and instrumental motivation. The findings reveal that students exhibit a very high level of motivation in both indicators, emphasizing the significance of English for cultural integration, social interactions, career opportunities, and academic success. The study also shows that integrative motivation has a significant positive correlation with English proficiency. Conversely, instrumental motivation, which is driven by practical benefits such as career advancement and academic success, does not show a significant relationship with proficiency. This suggests that students who are intrinsically motivated to learn English for social and cultural purposes tend to perform better in language skills. Furthermore, despite the high levels of motivation, the results indicate that students remain at the Beginning Proficiency level in vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension. This highlights a gap between motivation and actual language proficiency, suggesting that external factors such as access to resources, quality of instruction, and home environment may play a crucial role in language acquisition. Moreover, demographic factors such as gender do not significantly affect motivation or proficiency levels, but family income and parental educational attainment show a notable impact on students' English proficiency, implying that socioeconomic factors influence language learning outcomes. However, the lack of proficiency despite high motivation indicates that additional factors contribute to students' language development.