An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Japanese EFL Learners’ Motivation during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the spring of 2020, many educational institutions around the world were thrust into novel and challenging situations due to the spread of COVID-19. These situations have been highly consequential for educators and students. The purpose of this study was to explore how the motivation of four Japanese, second-year university students to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) was affected by the sudden shift to virtual learning and scaling down of their study abroad program following international travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic (referred to hereinafter as “the pandemic”). Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was adopted to analyze the data obtained from semi-structured interviews. The five themes that emerged from the interviews suggested that the students’ motivation to learn English remained stable despite the shift to online learning and modification of the study abroad program. In this regard, the following was observed: (1) All participants expressed that they inherently enjoyed learning English; (2) They imagined themselves using English in their future work or travel; (3) They derived motivation from other EFL learners; (4) They realized the practical benefits of online learning; (5) They became proactive in seeking ways to supplement their EFL studies. Themes 1, 2, and 3 applied to the participants even before the pandemic. Themes 4 and 5 emerged as they had to adjust their studying practices in response to the pandemic-induced restrictions. The findings of this study provide insights into how EFL learners’ motivation has been affected by the pandemic, and they serve as an important reference for students and educators in the EFL field.