The present study identifies the influence of motivation and fear of learning foreign language among Malaysia students. Despite the increasing demand for the teaching and learning of foreign languages, many Malaysian graduates face difficulties when it comes to acquiring the languages. They find the language complex and expressing oneself properly in it is a common challenge. This study is done to answer the following questions; i) how does motivation influence foreign language learning?; ii) how does fear of learning a foreign language influence learners?; and iii) is there a relationship between motivation and fear for learning a foreign language?. This research is quantitative in nature as it employs a survey form for data collection. The instrument used is a 5 Likert-scale survey and is rooted from Gardner (2001) and Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope (1986). The survey has 3 sections. Section A has items on demographic profile. Section B has 11 items on motivation to learn and section C has 33 items on fear of learning a foreign language. 163 UiTM Melaka students from various faculties participated in the survey. Majority of the language learners exhibited a tendency towards instrumental motivation as opposed to integrative motivation in the context of acquiring foreign languages. The results of this investigation carry weight for the pedagogy and acquisition of foreign languages in Malaysia, and can serve as a roadmap for language instructors to devise appropriate instructional approaches that enhance Malaysian students’ comprehension and proficiency in foreign languages.
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