Motivational orientation and preference for English-medium programs in Thailand

• Examination of motivational orientation and attitudes toward English-medium programs.
• Language anxiety and social support were best predictors of student preference.
• Study validates the importance of learning situation and affective dimensions of motivation.

Economic globalization and the resulting internationalization in higher education have resulted in a proliferation of English-medium programs. The investigation reported here examined the relationship between various measures of motivational orientation toward English language learning and students’ preference for English-medium graduate programs. Data were collected from undergraduate students enrolled in nine different academic programs in Thailand (N = 2252, males = 31.2% and females = 68.8%). The results of mean values in the motivational scales show that instrumental goals occupy the first rank across academic programs but integrative goals were also positive and more significant in association with the idea of undertaking English-medium graduate program, especially for females. Levels of English language classroom anxiety and perceived social support from parents, peers, and teachers were significant to the discrimination between student groups who would prefer to study in English or in Thai. Our findings validate the importance of integrative goals, classroom learning situation and the affective dimensions of motivation in student preference for English-medium instruction.