Investigating attitudes towards using English of an overlooked cohort : mainland taught postgraduates in Hong Kong

Abstract

This research investigated the cognitive, affective, and behavioral attitudes toward English and its usage among Mainland Chinese taught postgraduate students studying in the Hong Kong context. The study employed an online questionnaire (N=123) and semi-structured interviews (N=8) to gather both quantitative and qualitative data, thus achieving triangulation. The research findings revealed that in terms of cognitive attitudes, these students considered English to be critically important for their field of study in the EMI context of Hong Kong. However, they revealed its use in everyday life in Hong Kong is unimportant. Their affective attitudes demonstrated a fondness for English while also acknowledging that speaking and writing posed challenges for them. In terms of their behavioral attitudes, some inconsistency was noted compared to cognitive and affective aspects, as participants did not actively take actions to enhance their English skills. This might be attributed to the intensive nature of the one-year master programme and lack of proactive self-directed learning. This study provided valuable insights into understanding the English usage experiences and needs of this sizable group in Hong Kong higher education.