Social Factors Influencing non-English Major Professors' Attitude towards Learning English as an Academic Language

Abstract

It is argued that language learning is regarded as the cornerstone of human existence. The widespread use of English as an international language makes it highly important in the world. It is no more working as the status of language of the elite class or the educated class of the society such as professors, rather it is working as an instrument to bring success in life. Nowadays, teachers need to learn English language for research works. They may teach different majors but all of them need English Language for their educational improvement. This requires that they have positive attitudes towards English language learning. In this regard, the role of social factors can be useful, too. Hence, this study was an endeavor to examine the social factors influencing non-English major professors' attitude towards English as an academic language. To this end, questionnaire was used as a research instrument. It was administered to 100 non-English major professors of Islamic Azad University (Babol Branch), Babol, Iran. The findings revealed that some social factors can influence on non-English major Professors' attitudes toward English language learning. On the basis of the findings, the study recommended that the university policy should stipulate that English should be strictly used as a language of learning and teaching with the aim of helping teachers because they need English for their academic improvement.