Voices of the Future: Palestinian Students’ Attitudes Toward English Language Learning in an EFL Context

Abstract

This study is about Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward English as a foreign language (EFL) learning, paying special attention to variables such as gender, parents’ knowledge of a foreign language, academic year, and travel to English-speaking countries. The researchers implemented a descriptive–analytical design to collect data. The sample of the study is 570 university students across various higher education institutions in Palestine. The researchers used several statistical tests, such as an Independent Sample t-test and one-way ANOVA, to analyse data. The findings suggest that Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English are mainly neutral. However, there are positive inclinations in specific aspects such as travel, academic content, and reading and writing, with no statistically significant differences due to variables such as gender, academic year, or exposure to English-speaking countries. These results suggest that student attitudes are shaped less by personal background and more by broader sociopolitical and educational conditions. This study contributes to the limited body of localised research on affective variables in second language acquisition (SLA) within conflict-affected regions. It highlights the need for contextually responsive pedagogies that promote student engagement and linguistic resilience. Implications are offered for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking to enhance EFL instruction in Palestine and similar settings.

1. Introduction

English has become as the universal language of digital communication, science, diplomacy, and education. Therefore, fostering successful language acquisition, especially in countries and situations where English is taught as a foreign language (EFL), requires an understanding of learners’ attitudes towards the language. Student attitudes have a big impact on motivation, engagement, and achievement in EFL settings, where exposure to English is frequently restricted to classroom instruction and mediated digital environments [1]. English has difficult sociocultural, scholarly, and economic significance in the Palestinian context. English is essential for employability, international communication, and higher education, even though it is not an official language [2]. In the context of occupied Palestine, the “difficulty” is in the paradox that English offers essential academic and economic access while also presenting obstacles to educational equity and cultural preservation. However, a variety of contextual factors, such as sociopolitical circumstances, restricted possibilities for travelling, access to technology, and educational policy, influence students’ attitudes towards learning English [3]. Relatively little empirical research has examined how university students view learning English in light of these challenges, despite the fact that English is crucial to Palestine’s national development goals [4]. Under-resourced educational institutions, restricted access to real English-speaking environments, and the wider effects of occupation and instability on the educational infrastructure are some of these difficulties [5]. Students’ attitudes, motivations, and perceived barriers to learning English in Palestinian universities have not been sufficiently investigated through data-driven studies, despite national policies emphasising the language’s importance for both national development and global integration. The development of context-sensitive teaching methods that would better meet the needs of students and national priorities is hampered by this disparity. The purpose of this study is to investigate how Palestinian university students feel about learning English, paying special attention to demographic and experiential factors like gender and exposure to other countries. This study adds to the complex understanding of EFL learning in under-represented and politically restricted contexts by documenting the “voices of future”, the students who will influence Palestine’s academic and professional context.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Attitudes

Students’ attitudes, including behavioural, cognitive, and affective dispositions towards the target language, its speakers, and the learning process, are important factors that determine motivation and final proficiency in EFL contexts [6,7]. A combination of personal, educational, and cultural elements, such as self-efficacy, curriculum design, teacher quality, and general sociopolitical circumstances, influence these attitudes, which are not constant [8,9]. Attitudes are especially complicated in restricted environments like Palestine, where students frequently show strong instrumental motivation and see English as a means of achieving both academic and economic mobility, in spite of the lack of immersion opportunities [8]. According to recent research, attitudes can be positively mediated by digital access, creative pedagogies, and even crisis-responsive instruction [10]. Ultimately, understanding these dynamic, contextually grounded attitudes is essential for designing effective, responsive language programs that support learner engagement and success. The L2 Motivational Self System developed by [11] serves as the main source of information for this study. The ‘Ideal L2 Self’ (who one aspires to become), the ‘Ought-to L2 Self’ (whom one feels compelled to become), and the immediate ‘L2 Learning Experience’ are the future self-guides that drive motivation, according to this framework. This framework was chosen [6,7] because it transcends the conventional instrumental/integrative divisions and successfully conveys the significance of identity and vision in globalised 21st-century contexts, where students’ interactions with English are intricate and multidimensional. It is especially well suited to investigating the attitudes of college students studying English in Palestine. Accordingly, the study questionnaire was designed so that it can measure the constructs of this model. The questionnaire includes adapted items from the ‘Ideal L2 Self’ scale. The ideal L2 self, or idealised future self-image, is considered the individual internal factor that can inspire learners to study the target language [12]. L2 learners strive to become this ideal version of themselves in the future. L2 learners may acquire qualities like success, achievement, enjoyment, and fluency in a foreign language by making an effort to close the gap between their ideal and actual selves. Furthermore, as demonstrated by earlier research in [13], the ideal L2 self has a stronger predictive ability to explain the motivated behaviour of L2 learners in a variety of linguistic and cultural educational contexts than Gardner’s conceptualisation of integrative motives. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between EFL and the ideal L2 self [14].

2.2. Higher Education in Palestine

Although Palestine’s higher education system faces particular challenges due to geopolitical division, military occupation, and ongoing instability, it exhibits incredible fortitude and a strong dedication to educational advancement. Although movement restrictions severely limit academic exchange between the West Bank and Gaza Strip and isolate institutions in East Jerusalem, the sector, which is overseen by the Palestinian Ministry of Higher Education, consists of a mix of public and private universities and colleges, mainly located in these territories [15]. Universities are under a lot of logistical and monetary pressure, which includes limitations on the delivery of instructional materials, irregular closures, and the separation barrier and check-points that frequently prevent faculty and students from accessing campuses [16]. Educational institutions in Palestine are essential to the country’s development despite these obstacles to growth because they are places where people can pursue knowledge, preserve their culture, and develop the professional skills required for state formation and economic survival [17]. Consequently, the system is characterised by a basic paradox—it is both a result of and a means of resistance to its oppressive political environment, attempting to uphold international standards and academic integrity while negotiating significant external limitations.

The Double Bind of English: Linguistic Imperialism and Local Agency in the Palestinian Context

With Palestine as a country under long-term occupation, the global dominance of English, often presented as a neutral medium for international communication and economic progress, demands a critical, decolonial analysis. Due to this positionality, English is no longer just a lingua franca but rather a highly paradoxical entity that lives in what academics refer to as a “double-bind” of colonialism [18]. On the one hand, competence in English is highly sought after as a type of vital symbolic capital, providing a possible pathway to international NGOs, global academia, and digital economic domains that would otherwise be restricted by the material and political realities of the job [19]. However, the structures of linguistic imperialism that uphold Anglo-American cultural and epistemic hegemony are inextricably linked to this perceived instrumental value, frequently at the direct expense of regional knowledge systems and the Arabic language [20,21]. In a setting where education is fundamentally a site of political and cultural resistance, the blind importation of Western-centric TESOL curricula and materials can therefore serve as a kind of “soft power” or epistemic force [22], marginalising the Palestinian narrative and producing a significant pedagogical confusion [23]. Because a privileged urban minority still has disproportionate access to quality English instruction, this dynamic not only runs the risk of strengthening socioeconomic privilege but also compromises the linguistic ecology by undermining Arabic’s position as the main medium for cultural heritage and /sumud /(steadfastness) [24]. However, a critical analysis needs to stay away from portraying Palestinians as passive recipients; rather, the strategic reappropriation of English demonstrates significant agency. While activists, artists, and journalists use the language as a weapon of counter-hegemony to convey the Palestinian narrative directly to a global audience, undermining its imperialistic potential [25], educators are increasingly using critical pedagogies to localise content and use the English classroom as a space for developing critical consciousness [23]. As a result, TESOL in Palestine must adopt a deliberately decolonial stance that upholds Palestinian epistemic sovereignty, cultural identity, and the right to self-representation while both rejecting and accepting English as a strategic tool for international engagement. English has long been considered by the Arab world as a prerequisite to economic opportunity, international communication, and academic success, frequently superseding identity negotiation or cultural assimilation [26]. Although English is taught from an early age in most Arab nations, local sociopolitical and economic circumstances have a significant impact on student attitudes, policy direction, and instructional quality. English plays a particularly complicated role in Palestine. In addition to being a foreign language, English serves as a conduit for learners to assert cultural agency, access global academic resources, and get around geopolitical restrictions [27].

3. Related Studies

Several studies have been conducted in the Arab world and Palestine on universities students’ attitudes towards English. These studies revealed that student’ attitudes are primarily instrumental, influenced by their desire for employment and scholarships and constrained by the lack of immersion or travel opportunities [8,9].

Due to these circumstances, rather than directly interacting with English-speaking communities, students’ attitudes are primarily shaped within the institutional setting through classroom instruction, digital exposure, and localised interactions [10,28]. This emphasises how important it is for teachers to foster positive attitudes by offering learning opportunities that are interesting, relevant, and sensitive to cultural differences. In order to position English as a linguistic resource and a representation of future opportunity, re-search on language attitudes in Palestine must take into consideration the particular interaction of education, aspiration, and constraint.

Recent studies conducted in the Palestinian context shed light on the unusual circumstances the teaching and learning of English. For instance, ref. [10] revealed that Palestinian university students had a favourable opinion of online English instruction during the Gaza War, considering it a flexible and safe substitute that allowed for academic continuity in times of emergency. Meanwhile, ref. [26] observed that while Palestinian English textbooks, like English for Palestine, are culturally appropriate for the local context, their extensive vocabulary and constrained class time pose pedagogical difficulties at the secondary level. Additionally, English classes are being utilised more and more as venues to encourage resilience and self-determination. To help students make the connection between language learning and their identities, ref. [27] highlighted the significance of incorporating critical and identity-affirming pedagogies into Palestinian EFL instruction.

According to these results, English in Palestine serves as a tool for resistance, mobility, and hope, in addition to being a subject taught in schools. English takes on both instrumental and symbolic meaning in such a limited educational environment, so it is crucial that educators and policymakers approach EFL instruction using frameworks that are inclusive, socially responsive, and context-sensitive. A student’s attitude towards the language can be positively or negatively impacted by sociocultural factors, including peer attitudes, parental support, and media exposure [9]. Attitudinal development is made more difficult in politically unstable or resource-constrained contexts like Palestine by structural limitations like financial constraints, occupation, and restricted access to authentic language environments [28]. Despite these obstacles, globalised content and digital platforms have grown in strength as exposure and engagement mediators, especially for young people [29]. Ultimately, creating responsive EFL programs that support long-term motivation and successful language acquisition requires an understanding of the complex factors influencing learners’ attitudes. Learner attitudes are a crucial factor in determining success in EFL settings, according to recent international research. Ref. [30] discovered that culturally sensitive materials and effective teachers greatly influenced the attitudes of secondary school pupils in Oman in the Gulf region. In a similar way, ref. [8] found that the attitudes of Saudi students towards English were strongly associated with how they viewed classroom settings and the influence of English on future prospects. A growing body of English Language Teaching (ELT) research in Arab nations has focused more on sociocultural influences on learner motivation and engagement, according to a bibliometric analysis by [11]. Recent research has looked at how student attitudes are shaped in the Palestinian context by the intersection of pedagogical innovation and sociopolitical realities. For instance, ref. [31] discovered that by boosting motivation and improving individualised learning, blended learning techniques had a positive impact on the attitudes of EFL students. The advantages of interactive pedagogies in promoting learner autonomy [32] and engagement were highlighted in [23]. According to [7], students viewed e-learning as a necessary and adaptable tool that kept them motivated and on track during wartime disruptions. According to [7], Hebron University English majors employed social media in a calculated manner to improve their language proficiency and maintain more optimistic views about learning the language. Collectively, these results demonstrate how learner attitudes are dynamic in Arab and Palestinian contexts. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about learner attitudes in politically unstable and resource-constrained areas like Palestine, despite the expanding corpus of research on English language acquisition in EFL contexts. The majority of the literature currently in publication in the Arab world has a tendency to extrapolate results from one country to another without taking into consideration the distinct sociopolitical realities that influence students’ experiences in particular national contexts [8]. Within a framework that focusses their lived educational and political circumstances, few empirical studies have specifically examined the ways in which exposure, travel experience, digital access, and gender inform Palestinian university students’ attitudes towards English [7]. In a study investigating Palestinian undergraduate students’ towards native and non-native English language teachers and their relation to students’ listening ability, it was concluded that Palestinian undergraduate students’ attitudes towards both native and non-native English language teachers were moderate across all items and sections. According to the findings, Palestinian undergraduate students who studied with native English language teachers were better able to listen to both native and non-native teachers than those who studied with non-native teachers. The results additionally demonstrated that, as a result of attending university, Palestinian undergraduate students’ mean listening ability scores differed significantly between native and non-native English language instructors [33]. Despite the growing emphasis on affective factors in SLA in global research, there remains a lack of localised data that can inform evidence-based policy and classroom interventions in Palestine.

By providing a context-sensitive analysis of Palestinian university students’ attitudes towards English, the current study fills in these gaps. It investigates whether factors like gender and exposure to English-speaking nations affect learner attitudes in addition to examining general trends. The research responds to recent calls for more nuanced, contextually grounded investigations in under-researched EFL environments and adds unique insights to the regional literature by placing the study within the Palestinian higher education system and using a nationally relevant sample.

The study sought to address the following questions:

• What is the nature of Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English?
• Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English due to gender?
• Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to if the parents speak a foreign language?
• Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to visiting an English-speaking country?
• Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to academic year?

4. Materials and Methods

In order to document and analyse current characteristics, trends, and influencing factors within educational phenomena, a quantitative descriptive survey design was utilised [34]. This approach helps describe characteristics and trends and analyse differences and influencing factors. A questionnaire was used in the study, specifically designed to measure students’ attitudes toward learning English. The methodological framework of [35] for eliciting subjective meaning, applied within the theoretical framework of L2 attitude and motivation research established by [6,35], is directly the basis for the word association task on the questionnaire. It included a set of statements that reflect their attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions toward learning the language. These statements were structured in a way that allows respondents to express their feelings and positions using a three-point scale: (Positive = 3, Neutral = 2, Negative = 1), which facilitates objective quantitative analysis of attitudes. The three-point Likert scale was used in this study due to methodological and statistical reasons that fit the goals of the investigation. This scale made it easier for students to choose their answers, which decreased the possibility of hesitation or bias in their responses and made it easier to collect accurate data. Additionally, the study’s goal of capturing broad trends without the need for intricate granularity is aligned with the classification of attitudes into three levels: positive, neutral, and negative. From the point of view of statistics, the scale produced quantitative data that was very open to analysis using means, standard deviation, and difference tests (ANOVA and t-test). Furthermore, the scale showed a satisfactory degree of reliability (α = 0.738), which improved the validity of its findings and their reliability for scientific use.

The results will be presented using appropriate statistical tools such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, in addition to difference tests between variables using t-tests and ANOVA. This is to determine whether significant differences exist and to interpret the results within relevant theoretical frameworks stated in Section 2 above. Through this analysis, the study seeks to offer practical recommendations based on accurate data that may contribute to improving English language teaching and learning practices in Palestinian universities.

The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach, which is one of the most suitable research methods in educational studies, as it allows for diagnosing and understanding the phenomenon under investigation through the description and analysis of students’ attitudes based on their demographic characteristics. The questionnaire tool was developed to include two main sections: the first relates to students’ demographic data, which included gender, whether either parent speaks a foreign language, having visited English-speaking countries, native language, and academic year. The second section consisted of 21 statements covering various domains in English language learning, such as the use of technology, teaching methods, classroom environment, language assessments, and others.

A total of 580 questionnaires were distributed to students from four public Palestinian universities, of which 570 were retrieved and considered valid for statistical analysis. Data were entered using the SPSS version 27 program and analysed statistically to derive indicators of prevailing attitudes and statistically significant differences among the different groups.

4.1. Population and Sample

The sample was selected from Palestinian university students using stratified random sampling to ensure the representation of various academic and gender-based groups. The sample consisted of 570 students, whose responses were analysed according to the following demographic variables.

Table 1. Sample distribution by demographic variables.

Variable	Category	Frequency	Percentage
Gender	Male	265	46.5%
	Female	305	53.5%
Do either parent speak a foreign language?	No	292	51.2%
	Yes	278	48.8%
Visited English-speaking country	No	417	73.2%
	Yes	153	26.8%
Academic Year	First year	145	25.4%
	Second year	149	26.1%
	Third year	133	23.3%

shows that females constitute the larger portion of the sample (53.5%), compared to males (46.5%), which may reflect a relatively higher interest among female students in participating in the study or in the topic of learning English. The results also indicated that 48.6% of the students reported that one of their parents speaks a foreign language, which is a relatively high percentage that reflects a linguistically supportive environment. Regarding travel to English-speaking countries, the vast majority of students (73.2%) had not visited such countries, which may indicate limited direct exposure to the language in natural contexts. Finally, the sample was distributed relatively evenly across the different academic years, which enhances the comprehensiveness of the data and its ability to represent students’ attitudes across academic stages.

4.2. Instrumentation

A specially developed questionnaire was used to collect the necessary data to answer the research questions related to Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English and to explore the differences in these attitudes according to specific demographic variables. The instrument consisted of 21 statements (See Appendix A), distributed across various dimensions representing aspects related to English language learning from the students’ perspective, such as the use of technology in lessons, quality of teaching, academic content, social and cultural attitudes, and classroom assessments.

The questionnaire was based on a three-point attitude scale, which includes three levels of response for each item: “Positive attitude” (3 points), “Neutral attitude” (2 points), and “Negative attitude” (1 point). The instrument was designed to ensure that statements were clear, direct, and descriptive of the students’ real-life attitudes. The items were arranged to ensure content diversity and to encourage respondents to reflect objectively while answering.

This instrument aimed to comprehensively cover the various dimensions of the university student’s experience in learning English, including the educational environment, teaching style, classroom interaction, and family and social support. This enhances the instrument’s credibility and provides a reliable foundation for building future educational recommendations.

4.2.1. Psychometric Properties of the Study Instrument

To ensure the validity and accuracy of the instrument used to measure the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English, its psychometric properties were verified through testing both types of validity—face and content validity—as well as by calculating the statistical reliability coefficient using Cronbach’s Alpha.

4.2.2. Face Validity

The initial version of the questionnaire was reviewed by a group of specialists in the fields of English language teaching and educational measurement and evaluation. The aim was to assess the clarity of the statements, their relevance to the domain being measured, and their suitability for the study’s objectives. The reviewers provided a set of observations regarding the wording of certain statements and suggested improvements in their phrasing or order to increase precision and clarity. Based on their feedback, several revisions were made to improve the clarity of the items and ensure their comprehensiveness in covering the dimensions of the phenomenon under study. This process confirmed the face validity of the instrument.

4.2.3. Content Validity

To confirm the content validity, the questionnaire was applied to a pilot sample similar to the main study sample in terms of demographic characteristics. Participants’ feedback was collected regarding the clarity of the statements and how well they aligned with the concepts of English language learning as they experienced them in their academic contexts. The results showed a high degree of agreement between the participants and the expert reviewers, with the agreement rate exceeding 60%, which indicates that the instrument is valid for measuring the targeted concepts and provides strong evidence of its content validity.

4.2.4. Reliability

To ensure the reliability of the study instrument, Cronbach’s Alpha was used to measure the internal consistency of responses across the items of the scale. The overall Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the questionnaire was 0.738, which is an acceptable value according to educational and statistical standards. It indicates a good level of internal consistency among the items, ensuring the instrument’s reliability and its ability to measure the targeted attitudes accurately and consistently.

Table 2. Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient for the study instrument.

Reliability Coefficient (Cronbach’s Alpha)	Number of Items
0.738	21

shows the results.

This value indicates that the study instrument is capable of producing consistent results if reapplied under similar conditions, which enhances the validity of the conclusions and supports the generalisability of the findings to the wider study population.

4.2.5. Construct Validity of the Instrument

Construct validity is considered one of the most significant forms of validity relied upon in educational and psychological research. It refers to the extent to which the instrument accurately measures the theoretical construct it was designed to assess. In this study, the construct validity of the instrument used to measure Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English was verified by calculating the correlation coefficients between each item on the scale and the overall score of the general attitude measure.

The researcher used the Pearson correlation coefficient to determine the relationship between each item and the total score. The results showed that all correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the level (α ≤ 0.01), indicating a strong positive relationship between most items and the overall attitude score. This supports the validity of the instrument as a precise and systematic measure of students’ attitudes.

The values in

Table 3. Pearson correlation coefficients between each item and the total score of the attitude scale.

Item	Pearson Correlation	Significance Level
Using technology in English lessons	0.673 **	0.000
My university English course	0.550 **	0.000
My English teacher	0.724 **	0.000
The UK/English-speaking countries	0.833 **	0.000
The way my English teacher teaches	0.660 **	0.000
What my parents think about me learning English	0.592 **	0.000
I enjoy my English classes at university	0.666 **	0.000
Going to English-speaking countries	0.517 **	0.000
English-speaking people	0.516 **	0.000
Learning English	0.625 **	0.000
The way English-speaking people are portrayed in media	0.498 **	0.000
Listening to and speaking English	0.511 **	0.000
The amount of English taught at my university	0.555 **	0.000
I can imagine myself speaking English as if I were a native speaker	0.563 **	0.000
What my friends think about learning English	0.506 **	0.000
The English language	0.550 **	0.000
The textbook/materials we use for English	0.179 **	0.000
Reading and writing English	0.533 **	0.000
English tests and assessments at my university	0.528 **	0.000
What Palestinians in general think about learning English	0.507 **	0.000
My attitude to learning English	0.493 **	0.000

Note: (**) indicates a statistical significant value at a level less than 0.01.

indicate that all items were statistically correlated with the total score of the scale, which reflects the internal consistency of the items in measuring the same underlying concept—students’ attitudes toward learning English. The correlation coefficients ranged from 0.179 to 0.833. The highest correlation was found in the item “The UK/English-speaking countries”, suggesting a strong influence of cultural and social perceptions of English-speaking countries on students’ overall attitudes. On the other hand, the lowest correlation was recorded for the item “The textbook/materials we use for English”, which may indicate that textbooks and resources are not considered central factors in shaping students’ attitudes.

These results confirm that the instrument demonstrates a high degree of construct validity, reinforcing confidence in its results and affirming its ability to represent students’ actual attitudes in a scientifically reliable manner.

4.3. Study Variables

To understand students’ attitudes and measure them, the construct was operationalised. This study measured how a dependent variable like attitudes toward learning English (a multi-dimensional construct) is influenced by independent variables such as gender, visit to an English-speaking country, and academic year. These variables were selected based on the study’s objectives and the nature of the instrument used. Attitudes toward learning English variable is represented in the total score which is obtained by the students responses to the 21 items of the questionnaire. This variable is measured quantitatively using a three-point Likert scale Positive = 3, Neutral = 2, Negative = 1, and it reflects the student’s overall attitude toward learning English in terms of feelings, impressions, and level of motivation and inclination. The researchers chose three independent variables for their significance in order to account for the variance. In order to investigate possible demographic variations, the first variable is gender (1 = Male, 2 = Female). The second is whether a student has visited an English-speaking country (1 = No, 2 = Yes). Furthermore, the academic year (1 being a first-year student, 2 being a second-year student, 3 being a third-year student, and 4 being a fourth-year student or higher) is used to evaluate how attitudes might change as a result of more exposure and academic advancement through university.

4.4. Statistical Treatments

This study relied on several statistical techniques selected in accordance with the nature of the data, study objectives, and research questions. The statistical software SPSS (version 27) was used for data entry and analysis to ensure accuracy and reliability in processing and interpreting the results. Statistical tests such as one-way ANOVA and an Independent Sample t-test were used. Descriptive analysis (e.g., frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) was used to describe the demographic characteristics of the sample (gender, academic year, whether a parent speaks a foreign language, visiting English-speaking countries, etc.) and to describe students’ attitudes toward learning English for each item in the questionnaire.

We used parametric tests (t-tests and ANOVA) as our sample size is large (N = 570 university students). This will ensure the accurateness and trustworthiness of results even if the assumption of normality is violated [36].

4.4.1. Instrument Validity and Reliability Analysis

To be able to ensure that the survey measured attitudes towards learning English accurately, its validity was established by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The correlation was calculated between each item and the overall score to assess the construct validity of the instrument. All items showed statistically significant correlations at the (0.01) level, indicating strong internal structure validity. Additionally, the high Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient score of 0.738 validated the instrument internal consistency reliability.

4.4.2. Hypothesis Testing and Analysis of Variance

The researchers used an Independent Sample t-test to examine the differences in attitudes based on gender and visiting an English-speaking country. On the other hand, one-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) was used to test for statistically significant differences in attitudes according to academic year (first, second, third, fourth, or above). These statistical techniques provided an accurate quantitative overview of students’ attitudes and helped to interpret differences and relationships between variables in a scientifically reliable manner.

5. Results

The results obtained from the responses of the study sample, consisting of (570) male and female students, are presented according to the key dimensions that measure their attitudes toward learning English. The available quantitative data were analysed based on the mean scores of responses for each item of the scale, in addition to analysing statistically significant differences across levels of the independent variables (such as gender, academic year, visit to English-speaking countries, etc.).

The interpretation of the means was based on the interpretive criterion, which classifies the range of the three-point scale (1–3) as follows.

This criterion was applied to the average responses for each item, as well as to the overall mean of the scale.

5.1. Research Question 1

What is the nature of Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English?

To answer this question, the means and standard deviations of the responses from the study sample (n = 570) were calculated for the 21 items measuring students’ attitudes toward learning English.

Table 4. The interpretive criterion scale.

Category	Mean Range
Negative (Low) Attitude	1.00 to less than 1.67
Neutral (Moderate) Attitude	1.67 to less than 2.34
Positive (High) Attitude	2.34 to 3.00

presents the scaling and

Table 5. Means and standard deviations of students’ attitudes toward English.

Item	Mean	SD	Degree
Using technology in English lessons	2.28	0.789	Neutral
My university English course	2.27	0.779	Neutral
My English teacher	2.31	0.768	Neutral
The UK/English-speaking countries	2.28	0.788	Neutral
The way my English teacher teaches	2.33	0.759	Neutral
What my parents think about me learning English	2.26	0.809	Neutral
I enjoy my English classes at university	2.29	0.763	Neutral
Going to English-speaking countries	2.35	0.761	Positive
English-speaking people	2.32	0.751	Neutral
Learning English	2.31	0.767	Neutral
The way English-speaking people are portrayed on TV	2.33	0.782	Neutral
Listening to and speaking English	2.25	0.808	Neutral
The amount of English taught at my university	2.36	0.747	Positive
I can imagine myself speaking English as if I were a native speaker	2.32	0.772	Neutral
What my friends think about learning English	2.25	0.788	Neutral
The English language	2.28	0.794	Neutral
The textbook/materials we use for English	2.31	0.796	Neutral
Reading and writing English	2.34	0.766	Positive
English tests and assessments at my university	2.30	0.780	Neutral
What Palestinians in general think about learning English	2.35	0.776	Positive
My attitude to learning English	2.31	0.786	Neutral
Overall Mean	2.30	0.176	Neutral

shows the detailed results of the means and standard deviations.

The results indicate that the overall mean score for attitudes toward learning English was 2.30, with a standard deviation of 0.176. This falls within the interpretive category of “Neutral” values, ranging from 1.67 to less than 2.34, representing a moderate or neutral attitude.

When examining the items individually, we observe the following:

The highest mean was recorded for the item “The amount of English taught at my university” (mean = 2.36), indicating a relatively positive attitude toward the academic content. Other items that also showed positive attitudes (means ≥ 2.34) include “Going to English-speaking countries”, “Reading and writing English”, and “What Palestinian people think about learning English”. The remaining items had means ranging from 2.25 to 2.33, which indicates a neutral attitude in most aspects, suggesting that students do not hold strongly positive or negative views toward learning English.

The findings suggest that Palestinian university students’ attitudes toward learning English are generally neutral, with slight inclinations toward positivity in specific aspects such as travel, academic content, and reading and writing. This may reflect an opportunity for improving certain academic and instructional components that could contribute to enhancing students’ attitudes more positively and effectively.

According to recent research studies, such as [37,38], Palestinian university students generally have neutral attitudes towards learning English, with a few minor positive inclinations in areas like academic content, reading and writing, and travel. According to a mixed-methods study conducted at An-Najah National University, students’ attitudes towards EFL were moderate despite their optimistic expectations. Significantly, it was predicted that speaking and listening would be the most pleasurable abilities, while writing and reading would be less preferred, suggesting areas for pedagogical improvement [37]. At the same university, additional research on EFL university writing revealed that students had favourable opinions about writing programs and teaching strategies. Writing, however, continued to be a difficult skill, indicating that although students recognise the value of writing, they might find it difficult to put it into practice [37]. Furthermore, a study on the attitudes of Palestinian high school students towards learning English and its culture by [38] revealed that students understand the importance of English for both academic and professional success. However, a number of variables, such as social context, individual experiences, and perceived cultural conflicts, affect their motivation and attitudes. These results indicate that although Palestinian students have a basic appreciation for English, especially when it comes to its usefulness for academic and travel purposes, teaching methods could be strengthened. More positive attitudes and successful learning outcomes may result from increasing reading and writing engagement through interactive techniques and culturally appropriate materials.

5.2. Research Question 2

Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English due to gender?

We used an Independent Sample t-test to determine whether gender-based differences in Palestinian university students’ attitudes towards learning English are statistically significant. The mean attitude scores of male and female students were compared in this test.

Table 6. Independent Sample t-test results for differences in overall attitudes toward learning English due to gender variable.

Gender	N	Mean	SD	t-Value	Sig. (2-Tailed)
Male	265	2.32	0.164	1.730	0.084
Female	305	2.29	0.185

presents the findings.

Male students reported a slightly higher mean score (M = 2.32) than female students (M = 2.29), as the table displays. Nevertheless, this difference was not statistically significant (t (568) = 1.730, p = 0.084), surpassing the accepted significance threshold (α = 0.05).

This result suggests that students’ attitudes towards learning English do not significantly differ based on their gender. This might be a reflection of the growing equality of educational opportunities in Palestinian higher education, where male and female students generally have equal access to academic resources; English language instruction; and extracurricular exposure to the language through media, the internet, and mobile devices.

This is supported by recent studies conducted in Palestine. For instance, a study conducted at Palestine Polytechnic University by [8] revealed that gender had no effect on students’ attitudes towards the English language, emphasising instead the importance of career preparation and academic motivation. Similarly, ref. [39] highlighted that, in a setting characterised by high unemployment and restricted international mobility, both male and female Palestinian students increasingly see English as a crucial skill for academic success and professional mobility. Furthermore, Palestinian students, regardless of gender, frequently view English through similar pragmatic lenses due to the shared sociolinguistic environment created by occupation, resource scarcity, and limited exposure to native English speakers [40]. In this limited yet extremely aspirational setting, English is not viewed as a gendered subject but as a tool for empowerment and connection with the wider world. This implies that, from a teaching point of view, ELT practices in Palestine ought to give priority to contextually responsive strategies that improve all students’ engagement and communicative competence, without presuming that gender-based differences in disposition or interest exist. Therefore, curriculum designers and educators are urged to concentrate on inclusive, need-based teaching strategies that take into account the larger sociopolitical realities of Palestinian students.

5.3. Research Question 3

Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to if the parents speak a foreign language?

The researchers used an Independent Sample t-test to investigate whether the parents speak a foreign language affects Palestinian university students’ attitudes towards learning the language. Students whose parents speak a foreign language and those whose parents do not speak a foreign language were compared. The results are shown in

Table 7. The t-test results for differences based on if the parents speak a foreign language or not.

Variable	Response	N	Mean	Std. Deviation	t-Value	Sig. (2-Tailed)
The parents speak a foreign language	No	292	2.30	0.168	−0.018	0.986
	Yes	278	2.30	0.184

.

The results indicate that the mean score of students whose parents do not speak a foreign language (2.30) was identical to that of students whose parents speak a foreign language (2.30). Furthermore, the t-value of −0.018 with a significance level of 0.986 is much higher than the accepted threshold (α = 0.05), indicating no statistically significant differences between the two groups. As the average of attitudes between both groups is identical, this means the indicator of parental foreign language knowledge, in this sample, does not seem to be a differentiating factor in Palestinian university students attitudes. Moreover, the non-significant t-value (−0.018) and significance level (0.986) reveal that the t-value (−0.018) is very close to zero indicating a very small differences. This seemingly insignificant result is actually very important and can be explained by a number of Palestine-specific sociocultural and educational factors.

English language competence is not just a subject of study in Palestine; it is a type of “cultural capital” [41] that is seen as essential for mobility, access to global opportunities, and negotiating the geopolitical landscape. According to studies such as [42], English is seen by Palestinian families and students as essential to higher education, getting into graduate programs, and receiving overseas scholarships. Moreover, English is important in getting an advantage in the cutthroat labour market, particularly with foreign NGOs, tech firms, and organisations doing business in the area. Lastly, it is essential for global connection. Connecting with the diaspora and the world community while overcoming geographical and political isolation to promote their cause.

According to [43], in a study examining the motivation of Palestinian students, it was found that this collective societal value frequently generates a strong, consistent instrumental motivation to learn English that may outweigh the particular influence of parental language proficiency. Their ability to speak English may not have as much of an impact as their parents’ views on the importance of the language.

The strong homogenising effect of the Palestinian educational ecosystem shows no significant variation in attitudes based on parental foreign language knowledge. The strong, centralised information about the importance of English created by the standardised curriculum and high-stakes tests (like Tawjihi) may lessen the distinctive impact of different home environments. Additionally, parental influence most likely takes the form of attitudinal support such as setting high standards, offering learning resources, and providing moral support rather than direct linguistic modelling. The broad variable “parents speak a foreign language” lacks the granularity to capture subtleties like proficiency or frequency of use, which could obscure more subtle effects. This finding therefore emphasises that, in the Palestinian context, where English is closely associated with mobility and global connectivity, powerful social forces create a uniformly positive attitude baseline, making parental socioeconomic support more important than their particular linguistic capital.

5.4. Research Question 4

Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to visiting an English-speaking country? (

Table 8. The t-test results for differences in attitudes based on visiting an English-speaking country.

Category	N	Mean	SD	t-Value	Sig. (2-Tailed)
Did not visit	417	2.31	0.174	1.773	0.077
Visited	153	2.28	0.180

)

To examine this question, an Independent Sample t-test was used to compare the mean scores of students’ attitudes toward learning English between two groups:

• Students who had previously visited an English-speaking country.
• Students who had not visited such countries.

Table 8 below presents the detailed results:

Examining whether travel to an English-speaking nation had a significant impact on Palestinian university students’ attitudes towards learning English is one of the current study’s goals. No statistically significant differences in attitudes were found between students who had visited an English-speaking country (M = 2.28, SD = 0.18) and those who had not (M = 2.31, SD = 0.17), according to the results of the Independent Sample t-test (t (568) = 1.773, p = 0.077). According to this research, university students in the Palestinian context may not always have more positive attitudes towards learning English as a result of these visits. This finding is in line with new regional study data that highlights the fact that pedagogical and contextual factors, rather than foreign exposure, are more strongly linked to the affective and attitudinal development of Palestinian students. For example, in his quasi-experimental study of blended learning in four Palestinian universities, the author of ref. [31] discovered that learner-centred, interactive methods greatly improved students’ attitudes towards English. His results lend credence to the claim that creative pedagogical approaches, especially those that incorporate technology and active learning, have a greater influence on attitudes than passive exposure while travelling.

Furthermore, constant language learning anxiety, which has been shown to be a major affective factor among Palestinian EFL students, may also be to blame for the non-significant result. According to [44], Palestinian undergraduates experience moderate to high levels of anxiety related to foreign languages, especially when speaking and interacting with native speakers. Even direct interaction with English-speaking environments might not be enough to promote positive affect or confidence if anxiety is not addressed. This is consistent with the classical framework of [45], which emphasises the importance of affective barriers, like anxiety and self-perception, in language learning success.

Furthermore, research on Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in the Palestinian context has shown that classroom dynamics, identity, and sociopolitical factors influence students’ readiness to use English more than exposure to other cultures. According to [42], the advantages of earlier exposure to English-speaking environments were frequently outweighed by students’ sense of cultural and political identity, as well as worries about being judged or misunderstood. These results highlight the necessity of placing language education policies in the context of Palestinian students’ lived realities, which include limited opportunities for authentic communication, identity conflicts, and mobility restrictions [46].

In other Arab contexts, comparable trends have been noted. Ref. [47] showed that students’ attitudes and grammar performance improved measurably when blended learning techniques were used instead of international immersion. The findings that local pedagogical approaches typically have a greater impact on learner affect than short-term trips overseas are supported by their study of Jordanian university students.

In practice, policymakers and curriculum designers in Palestine should shift their attention from travel-based enrichment to locally developed, research-based classroom innovations, according to the study’s findings. These could include project-based learning, communication exercises, blended learning platforms, and anxiety reduction techniques. Additionally, since metacognitive strategies have demonstrated significant effectiveness in improving student engagement and success, it is advised that teacher training programs incorporate elements on cultivating positive learner attitudes [48].

In summary, the lack of statistically significant differences in attitudes among visiting English-speaking nations highlights a crucial point for the Palestinian ELT context: exposure to the outside world is not always transformative unless it is combined with organised, encouraging, and emotionally responsive teaching methods. Isolated international experiences are less likely to result in lasting attitudinal change than comprehensive reforms in classroom climate, teacher development, and instructional methodology.

5.5. Research Question 5

Are there statistically significant differences at the level (α > 0.05) in the attitudes of Palestinian university students toward learning English attributed to academic year?

To answer this question, a One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine whether statistically significant differences exist among the mean scores of students’ attitudes based on their academic year (first, second, third, or fourth year and above). The results are presented in

Table 9. One-way ANOVA results for differences by academic year.

Source	Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F-Value	Sig.
Between Groups	0.008	3	0.003	0.081	0.970
Within Groups	17.622	566	0.031
Total	17.630	569

below:

The ANOVA results indicate that the F-value = 0.081, with a significance level of 0.970, which is much higher than the accepted alpha level of (0.05). This clearly shows that the differences in students’ attitudes toward learning English across academic years are not statistically significant.

This result suggests that, at least in the context of the Palestinian higher education system, students’ attitudes towards learning English are not significantly changed by progression in the university. A number of contextual factors could explain this. First, there is little variation in the curriculum, teaching style, or assessment design of English language instruction in Palestine, which is largely uniform throughout all academic years [49]. Regardless of the academic year, this consistency could help maintain the stability of students’ attitudes. Furthermore, in line with the research in [50], Palestinian students frequently encounter enduring pedagogical and structural difficulties during their academic careers, including crammed classrooms, a dearth of communicative practice, and little exposure to real-world language usage. Rarely are these issues handled in a developmental or progressive way, hindering any meaningful changes in students’ affective responses to English learning over time.

Furthermore, the sociopolitical environment in Palestine has a significant impact on how students interact with English. Students’ attitudes are influenced more by their perceived instrumental need for English—for example, for higher education, employment, or international communication—than by gaining more academic experience alone, according to [42]. It is unlikely that students’ affective dispositions will improve purely as a result of academic progress unless deliberate interventions are made to make learning English more communicatively authentic and personally meaningful.

It is interesting to note that these results are consistent with research carried out throughout the Arab world. Ref. [47] found no discernible variations in the attitudes of EFL students at different academic levels in Jordan, unless they were combined with specific innovations like flipped classroom models or blended learning. Ref. [18] also discovered that attitudinal shifts among Saudi students occurred primarily when metacognitive strategies and self-regulated learning tools were integrated into instruction—approaches not commonly practiced in Palestinian universities. As a result, the current study lends credence to the idea that changes in attitudes towards English cannot be adequately predicted by the academic year alone. Rather, student-centred approaches, innovative teaching strategies, and emotionally supportive classroom environments seem to be more successful in fostering positive attitudes. Institutions in Palestine must adopt progressive, year-specific improvements to course content, teacher preparation, and classroom interaction if they hope to promote deeper engagement with English. This is in contrast to uniform, grammar-heavy instruction.

These findings point to the necessity of structural changes in ELT programs that prioritise the long-term growth of students’ attitudes and language proficiency. Throughout academic years, program designers should think about implementing context-sensitive pedagogies, varied learning strategies, and incremental complexity into the content. Additionally, teacher preparation programs ought to give educators the resources they need to support students’ academic progress at every level by promoting affective engagement, metacognitive awareness, and communicative competence.

6. Implications for Practice

The study’s conclusions have a number of significant ramifications for English language instruction in Palestinian higher education. It is clear that localised educational experiences have a greater influence on students’ motivation and perceptions of learning English because neither gender nor travel to an English-speaking nation significantly affected their attitudes towards doing so. This demonstrates how urgently Palestinian institutions must establish vibrant, fully English-immersed university environments. Conversation clubs, online language exchange programs, culturally relevant content, and more chances for meaningful, conversational English use in social and academic settings are a few examples of such settings. Since geopolitical restrictions limit physical access to English-speaking nations, emphasis should be placed on virtual exposure and genuine interaction in classrooms and online. Furthermore, the lack of notable gender disparities implies that inclusive, nondiscriminatory teaching methods can successfully meet the needs of both male and female students without the need for gender-specific approaches. In order to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have equitable access to high-quality English language instruction that supports their academic and professional aspirations within the complex Palestinian context, policymakers, educators, and curriculum developers must shift the focus from external exposure to enhancing internal capacity.

There is a need for structural changes in instructional design because there are no discernible differences in students’ attitudes towards learning English according to academic year or exposure to English-speaking nations. This suggests that affective development has stagnated. To keep students interested throughout their academic careers, Palestinian universities should implement year-specific, differentiated English curricula that progressively raise the linguistic, cognitive, and communicative demands. Additionally, affective and motivational strategies—such as methods for lowering language anxiety, encouraging learner autonomy, and creating positive classroom environments must be emphasised in teacher preparation programs. Because mobility restrictions limit access to international experiences, educational institutions should use task-based activities, digital exchange programs, and real-world communication opportunities to replicate immersive language environments. Furthermore, teaching metacognitive strategies at all levels can enable students to effectively manage their learning and have a positive attitude-influencing impact. To go beyond superficial exposure and guarantee that English language instruction in Palestine is both pedagogically and emotionally beneficial, these context-sensitive interventions are crucial.

Limitations of the Study

The main aim of this study was to determine university students’ attitudes toward English as a foreign language. The study has a number of noteworthy limitations. First, using a word association task to collect self-report data raises the possibility of social desirability bias, in which participants give answers they think will be accepted by others rather than reflecting their true opinions. Second, although it is straightforward, the three-point valence scale restricts the granularity of the affective data, which may obscure the strength of positive or negative associations. Additionally, the findings may not be as generalisable to other Palestinian universities or EFL settings in other cultural or geopolitical contexts due to the sample’s selection from a particular regional and sociopolitical context. Lastly, the cross-sectional design only captures attitudes at one particular moment in time and is unable to document their dynamic evolution.

7. Conclusions

This study examined whether gender, academic level, parents’ knowledge of a foreign language, and travel to an English-speaking nation had a significant impact on the attitudes of Palestinian university students towards learning English. Surprisingly, and in contrast to what might be expected in certain strands of applied linguistics and sociological theory, all participants showed consistently neutral to positive attitudes towards English. The findings revealed that neither variable was associated with any statistically significant differences in the attitudes of the students. Similarly, male and female students, academic level, parents’ knowledge of a foreign language, and those who had and had not travelled to English-speaking nations reported neutral to positive attitudes towards learning English. These results imply that students’ attitudes towards English in the Palestinian context are not significantly influenced by demographic factors like gender and brief international travel. Students’ opinions seem to be more strongly correlated with their immediate academic settings, their availability of digital English content, and their perception of the value of English in both education and the workplace. Educational institutions should concentrate on enhancing the local conditions that promote positive language attitudes in light of the sociopolitical limitations that Palestinian students face, including restricted international engagement, limited mobility, and resource scarcity. This entails making investments in inclusive, equitable learning environments that represent the realities and goals of Palestinian youth, interactive pedagogy, and classroom experiences that are rich in English.

Several important conclusions can be made in light of the Independent Sample t-test and one-way ANOVA results. First, the international exposure by itself does not significantly affect Palestinian university students’ affective perceptions of English, as there were no statistically significant differences in students’ attitudes towards learning the language based on whether they had travelled to an English-speaking nation (p = 0.077). This could be due to a lack of immersion opportunities, brief visits, or the predominance of instrumental motivation in a sociopolitical setting where English is seen more as a practical skill than a bridge across cultures. Second, the fact that attitudes are not significantly affected by the academic year (p = 0.970) suggests that current English language programs are ineffective at encouraging students to develop more engaged or positive attitudes as they advance through university. The absence of curriculum differentiation, consistent teaching strategies, and little attention to emotional and motivational growth could all be contributing factors to this stability. Together, these findings point to the urgent need for pedagogical change in Palestinian higher education, emphasising learner-centred instruction, affective engagement, and strategic curriculum development to promote long-term, meaningful attitudinal growth.