Why They Come to Pare: Understanding Motivation Among English Learners at Gaza English Course

Abstract

English has become an essential global language, yet Indonesia continues to rank low in English proficiency, placing 79th out of 113 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index 2023. While motivation has been widely recognized as a central factor in second language acquisition, most existing studies have focused on formal educational settings such as schools and universities, leaving non-formal learning environments largely underexplored. This study aims to investigate learners’ motivation in learning English at Gaza English Course, an English language institution located in Kampung Inggris Pare, Kediri, East Java, which is well known for its immersive learning environment. Specifically, this research explores the motivational factors that drive participants to learn English, describes their learning experiences at Gaza English Course, and examines the factors that support and hinder their motivation throughout the program. This study employs a qualitative approach using an instrumental case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and document analysis involving 6–8 purposively selected participants who were actively enrolled in the program. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis guided by (Nowell et al., 2017) The findings are expected to reveal that participants are driven by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations as conceptualized in Self-Determination Theory by (Ryan and Deci, 2000) with the immersive environment of Kampung Inggris Pare playing a significant role in shaping their learning experiences. This study contributes to the understanding of English learning motivation in non-formal contexts and offers practical implications for course designers and instructors.