Religious Beliefs and L2 Motivation in Islamic Schools: Integrating the L2 Motivational Self System with Islamic Identity

As Sabiq, Agus Husein

Journal of English Language and Education
Vol 11, No 1 (2026)

This study examined how students’ religious beliefs relate to their motivation to learn English in four Islamic secondary schools in Central Java, Indonesia. Using a mixed-methods design, questionnaires were administered to 287 students, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven purposively selected participants. Correlation analysis showed a significant positive relationship between religious beliefs and English learning motivation (r = .308, p .001), and regression analysis indicated that religious beliefs explained 9.5% of the variance in motivation (R² = .095). Qualitative findings revealed that students positioned English within Islamic concepts of lifelong knowledge-seeking (thalab al-‘ilm) and global Islamic communication (da’wah), viewing English as compatible with, and supportive of, their religious identity rather than as a threat. These results suggest that, in Islamic school contexts, religious beliefs can function as a motivational resource for learning English when appropriately acknowledged in pedagogy.