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the participant feel uncertainty whether early age is the best time to learn English though the common wisdom is children as better language learners than adults. This
beliefs endorsed Daif’s 2012 claim that children are more successful language learners than adults is an unrealistic one that may discourage many adult language
learners. Also, non-English major student appears to argue that grammar is necessary for building fluency. It was similar to Peacock’s 1999 study that learners who
agreed that learning a foreign language is a matter of learning grammar rules were found to be less proficient in English than those who believed otherwise. It indicate
that non English major more concern on communication act in their learning process, not merely focus on memorizing words or learning grammar rules.
In regard to self-esteem, non-English major showed that instrumental motivation is the most common reason for students to learn English. The majority of
the participants in the current study felt that better job opportunities might come with speaking English well. They reported believing that better job opportunities come
with speaking English well. It indicates that they have strong desire to learn and master English as well as they have positive evaluations of their own language
learning abilities. However, non-English major students disagreed that there is any correlation between aptitudes for the sciences and an aptitude for foreign language
learning. For learning resources part, English learning seems different from the way it
was several years ago. Students used to depend mainly on textbooks and the English materials provided or chosen by their teachers. In addition to these materials, the
students prefer to more authentic material, such as film as their favorite media to
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improve their English as well as the internet and other computer technology resources to learn English. For example, most of the participants in this study watched English
films or videos on YouTube, and used English-learning websites or computer programs. Thus, it shows the demand of learning English has shifted into Computer-
assisted language learning CALL, which was a new and innovative idea about twenty years ago. Nowadays, it
has become an essential part of students’ English learning, through computers, the internet and even smart phones.
For being a learner, the majority believe that they could engage with the values of life when learning English and that the importance of being autonomous
learner. Both indicate that non-English major students consider learning language is not only matters of knowledge but also they could learn positive value for their life as
well as their eagerness to learn English as much as possible, even outside the classroom context.
B. Pedagogical Implications
The findings of the present study suggest the following. Firstly, the understanding about language of the student needs to be enhanced.
The college students of non-English major consider language as functions or language expression. This is because they are bombarded with the practice and the
material of language functions during their process of learning English since junior until university level. The lecturer or instructor should promote the interaction view
to the students in order to achieve the competence of initiating and maintaining conversation with others.
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Secondly, learners view on language learning is diffrent from other types of learning where language requires different approach for each learner. The students
expect more variation on their process of language learning. It requires the lecturer or instructor to explore the approach and method of English learning.
Thirdly, it was found that the students believe that grammar and vocabulary as the important element of English learning. However, they also consider that both
could be improved by practicing English skill. Thus, the way of introducing new rules or vocabulary should be integrated with practicing the skill of speaking,
listening, reading or writing. Also, the lecturer or i
nstructors should be aware of students’ strategy use in order
to provide strategy training in the classroom to improve students’ performance. As pointed out by Horwitz 1987, student beliefs may have a strong impact on
language learning strategies. In addition, strategy training may help students become aware of language learning strategies Bialystok, 1990, and training students to use
language learning strategies may improve their language performance OMalley Chamot, 1990. The lecturer or instructors should help the learner become more
familiar with using learning strategies and find additional effective strategies to support their language learning.
One major finding showed that local accents proving to be more comprehensible. It means, in the listening part, the lecturer or instructors should not
only rely on native speaker from cassette or recording but the students need to listen from their peers. This is because the local is more familiar, thus listening to the peers
should be emphasized. It also promotes classroom language where based on this
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present study because the students feel happy if I have a chance to communicate English in the classroom.
Next is in case of learning resources, it was found that the students tend to prefer to authentic material as their media of learning English. Thus, the lecturer or
instructors should provide plentiful these material, either in the form of movie or the printed one. Moreover, Computer-assisted language learning CALL has become an
essential part of students’ English learning where the students could improve their
English through the internet and even their smart phones. Those give more opportunities to students to explore their self in improving their English competence.
Lastly, the lecturer or instructors should engage the values of life or even the moral building through the process of learning. In this case, the reflection phase or
group discussion could be important elements during the process of learning.
C. Recommendation
This part presents some recommendations that will hopefully give a new idea to provide better teaching and learning process, especially in college level in. The
first suggestion is intended for the lecturers or instructors who are competent to create good atmosphere to facilitate learning process. The second is for further researches
which can be done related to this study, particularly in the area of learner beliefs.
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1. For lecturers or instructors By reviewing the findings, the lecturer or instructors will be aware of their
strengths and weaknesses in order to update and to come up with new strategies which are appropriate to their students. One major finding of this study showed the
students believe that they engage the value of life during the process of learning. It might be important to explore more on the value of life related to English learning.
Optimizing the engagement of the value of life could impact to the process of moral building or character education for the students. This is interesting because,
nowadays, character education has become a growing movement in Indonesia as it is considered that it takes important role in reconstructing Indonesians to be a more
advanced and civilized nation. 2. For further researchers
To contribute the success of English learning in Indonesia, further research on students beliefs, which covers larger scope should be conducted with several
improvements. First, due to the limitations of time, budget, and social connections, this research was conducted at a single university in Faculty of Engineering
Yogyakarta State University. It would be useful, if the future research could be conducted at more universities of different types of Indonesia to identify the
similarities and differences in students’ beliefs in different learning environments. This research could also be conducted in senior high schools and vocational high
schools in order to document students’ beliefs before college and compare these results with those at the college level.
