Student's attitudes and motivation as factors influencing the learning of the communication skills course in tertiary institutions in Tanzania.

While communication skills (henceforth CS) courses were introduced in tertiary institutions in Tanzania as an attempt to solve the problem of students' inability to use the English language effectively for academic purposes, there is substantial evidence to show that most students in these institutions are still unable to communicate effectively using the English medium. Therefore the purpose of the study was to investigate whether or not students' attitudes and motivation in the learning of the CS courses in tertiary institutions offering Advanced diploma courses in Tanzania influenced the students' inability to communicate effectively in English. Three institutions that is, Co-operative College-Moshi, Institute of Development Management-Mzumbe and Institute of Finance Management-Dar es Salaam were involved in the study. The total number of respondents involved was 241, including 215 first year students, 6 CS teachers and 20 non-CS teachers. Data obtained through questionnaires, structured and unstructured interview schedules, observation and documentary techniques indicated that most students had favourable attitudes and high motivation while only a few had unfavourable attitudes and low motivation in the learning of the CS courses. It has, therefore, been concluded that, to a large extent, attitudes and motivation did not influence the students' inability to communicate effectively using the English medium in the tertiary institutions offering advanced diploma courses in Tanzania. As such, factors other than students' attitudes and motivation might account for the situation - a subject for future research in the area.