小学生英语学习动机的研究及其启示

1、A Study of Primary School Students English Learning Motivation and Its Implications小学生英语学习动机的研究及其启示 学区：乌鲁木齐市天山区 学校： 第四十四小学 教师：廖小雪 时间： 2014年9月28日Contents Chapter 1 Introduction1.1 The background of this study1.2 The significance of this study Chapter 2 Theoretical foundation2.1 Definitions of motivat

2、ion2.2 Theories to learn a foreign language2.2.1 Gardners motivation theory 2.2.2 Multiple motivation theories in 1990s2.2.3 Schumanns neurobiological model 2.2.4 Dorniers formulation of three-level categorization 2.3 literature review Chapter 3 Research design and findings 3.1 Purpose of the survey

3、 3.2 Subject of the survey 3.3 Instrument of the survey 3.4 Result of the questionnaire Chapter4 Implications and suggestions for teachers4.1 Investigate pupils motivation kinds periodically4.2 Suggestions from teachers and teaching method aspect4.3. Suggestions from teaching syllabus and teaching m

4、aterial aspect Chapter 5 ConclusionAbstractMotivation is considered by one of the main determining factors of success in developing a second or foreign language. In the course of learning foreign languages, students with strong motivation can always make good achievements while students without intr

5、insic motivation are often losers of language learning. However, in lots of areas of China at present, foreign language teaching still carries on the old traditional ways. Teachers are regard as the centre point, while students decisive functions are ignoring. So what is the motivation? What should

6、a teacher do in order to stimulate middle school students English learning motivation? And how to motivate students motivation is the common issue met by all English teachers and learners and it is also the main cause to do this research.This thesis consists of five chapters，Chapter One discusses th

7、e background and significance of the study；Chapter Two focuses on the literature review and theories；Chapters Three shows Research design and findings. Chapter Four provide some implications and suggestions to English learning and teaching. Last chapter is the conclusion.Finally, on the basis of fin

8、dings, I attempt to provide some suggestions on how to promote and enhance students motivation. Among the suggestions, I focus on Investigate pupils motivation kinds periodically, suggestions from teachers and teaching method aspect suggestions from teaching syllabus and teaching material aspect. Ke

9、y words： English learning motivation, implications摘要学习动机对学生的英语学习起着至关重要的作用，在外语学习过程中，具有强烈动机的学生总是能取得好成绩，而缺乏内在动机的学生即使客观条件再好，也往往是语言学习的失败者，不可否认，动机是学习成败与否的关键因素。不过当前在我国很多地区，外语教学仍然遵循着传统，以教师为中心，而忽视了学生决定性的能动作用。所以，什么是动机？如何培养和激发学生的英语学习动机?是广大师生面临的一个普遍问题，也是我想对学习动机实行深入探讨的目的所在。 本文共五章，第一章阐述研究的背景、研究的意义；第二章回顾一些相关理论，如加德

10、纳的外语学习理论，唐耶的外语学习动机三层说等作为研究的理论依据；第三章描述了研究方法和分析讨论了研究的结果；第四章提供一些启示和建议；最后一章结论部分概述全文并陈述本次研究的局限性。总来说之，学习在外语教学中极为重要，不了解学生的学习动机，教师就不可能有效的调动学生的积极性，激发起学生学习外语的热情，没有学生参与的教学只能是失败的教学。教师只有洞察学生的心理，了解其内在和外在的需求，强化其中合理有效的因素，才能更好的传授知识和技能，达到事半功倍的教学效果。关键词：英语学习动机 启示Chapter 1 Introduction1.1 The background of the studyNowa

11、days, more and more researchers realize that learners should be put in the first placeTherefore，many researches on the learners individual differences are conductedAmong the individual differences，motivation is regarded as one of the most important factors in second language learning. And no one can

12、 deny that motivation has the most powerful influences on L2 learningJust as Coder (1989)points out, “Give motivation，anyone Can learn a language”Therefore，the best way to promote language learners learning effectiveness and efficiency is to motivate them in the right direction and in the long runTh

13、us this thesis is to concentrate on the study and research of learners motivation of primary school in the hope of finding some implications to improve learners learning1.2 The significance of this studyNowadays, in many area of china, foreign language teaching has following the teacher-centered app

14、roaches, neglecting the active role that learners play. Along with the development of language teaching，the focus of foreign language teaching has transformed from language knowledge to language learnersAs we know that learners motivation makes teaching and learning immeasurably easier and more plea

15、sant，as well as more productive. So this is the most important reason to do this research. Chapter 2 Theoretical foundation2.1 Definitions of motivationWhat is motivation? It is difficult to define it in clear and simple terms because it is something that can neither be seen nor be exactly measured.

16、 And by the following definition, readers may know that motivation includes making choices and exerting efforts.Galloway once described a motivation motivated individual as one who wants to achieve a particular goal devotes considerable effort to achieve this goal and experiences satisfaction in the

17、 activities associated with achieving this goal in motivation were a straightforward concept it would be uninteresting(Galloway et a11 998：42)Corokes and Schmidi (1991：1996) defined motivation is the learners orientation with regard to the goal of learning a second language. Motivation plays an impo

18、rtant role in determining students behavior and learning. Dornier (1998) defined motivation as a “process whereby a certain amount of instigation force arises, initiates action, and persists as long as no other force comes into play to weaken it and thereby terminate action or until the planned outc

19、ome has been reached”. His definition lays more emphasis on the dynamic nature of motivation and his view as a process and suggest that motivation may not be static and can be weakened or terminated during the process of realizing the final outcome. However, this definition is not lucid enough in po

20、inting out the key elements of motivation. Williams and Burden（1997）defined motivation as “a state of cognitive and emotional arousal, which leads to a conscious decision to act, and which gives rise to a period of sustained intellectual and/or physical effort in order to attain a previously set goa

21、l(goals)”.This definition fits within a social constructivist framework. A lot of people also very agree with his opinion. 2.2 Theories of learning motivation 2.2.1 Gardners motivation theoryAccording to Gardner(1985)，learning motivation is learners orientation with regard to the goal of learning a

22、foreign language. In Gardner social-education model(Gardner，2001), two classes of variables influence learners learning motivation mainly. One of these variables is integrativeness, which refers to an open and positive attitude which regard for other groups as well as the language they speak. His st

23、udy includes 134 questions. It is quite authoritative, and to measure students motivation from 13 latitudes. It is assessed by three measures for the ATMB(AttitudeMotivation Test Battery)： (a) attitude toward the target language group, (b) interest in foreign language, and (c)integrative orientation

24、. The other class of these variables is identified as attitude toward learning situation and is assessed by two AMTB measures： (a) attitudes toward the language course and attitudes toward the language teacher(Gardner，2001).Gardners motivational theory is so influential that alternative concepts hav

25、e not been seriously consideredAs a result，other rich and useful theoretical offerings from different branches of psychology have been bypassedSince 1990s，when L2 researchers started calling for a broader, many attempts have been made to introduce other theories from different branches of psychology

26、(eg：Iximyei, 1994, Oxford&Shearin, 1994).2.2.2 Tremblay and Gardners revised model Tremblay and Gardner (1995) extend the social psychology construct of second language learning motivation by incorporating new elements from expectancy-value and goal theory. The novel element is the inclusion of thre

27、e mediating variables between attitudes and behavior：goal salience，valence and self-efficacy. To some extent, it could be said that all other factors involved in L2 acquisition may has the presuppose motivation. Thus, the model offers a synthesis of Gardners earlier, socially grounded construct and

28、recent cognitive motivational theories, and demonstrates that additional variables can be incorporated into Gardners theory without damaging its integrity 2.2.3 Schumanns neurobiological model The key constituent of Schumanns neurobiological theory is stimulus appraisal. According to the model, the

29、brain evaluates the environmental stimulus it receives and this leads to an emotional, and consequently to a behavioral response. Recently, Schumann (2000) has related stimulus appraisals to biological notions of value, and discussed how such appraisals become part of the persons value system throug

30、h a special memory for value. He has also outlined a conception of learning as a form of mental foraging, which engages the same neural systems as organism use when foraging to feed or mate, and which is generated by an incentive motive and potentate by the stimulus appraisal system.The main attract

31、ion of Schumanns neurobiological approach from this perspective lies in the fact that it offers a completely new type of validity for motivation theories by connecting abstract theoretical constructs to concrete biological mechanisms detected in the brain.2.2.4 Dorniers formulation of three-level ca

32、tegorization A variety of explanations to the concept were brought out by different scholarsDornier lays more emphasis on the dynamic nature of motivationHe thinks that motivation explains why people decide to do something, how long they are willing to sustain the activity and how hard they are goin

33、g to pursue it(Dornyer2005：8)Dornier(1994)develops a general framework of L2 motivation. It is categorized into three levels：the language level，the learner level，and the learning situation levelThe language level consists of“two broad motivational subsystems”(Dornier，1994：279)：integrative motivation

34、al subsystem and instrumental subsystem，which are in accordance with Gardners distinction of integrative motivation and instrumental motivationThe learner level involves individual difference motives such as need for achievement and self-confidenceThe latter encompasses“various and self-efficacy”(Do

35、rnier，1994：279)The most elaborate part of the framework is the learning situational level，which involves motives associated with various aspects of the language learning in a classroom setting，comprising course-specific, teacher-specific and group-specific motivational components. Dorniers three-lev

36、el theory is an important try. Dorniers detailed the framework and he highlighted a point that motivation is a multifaceted construct that will be affected by situational factorsWhat is more，the components listed in this framework are quite diverse in nature and thus cannot be submitted to empirical

37、 testingThe framework also lacks goal component and does not reflect sufficiently recent findings in self-determination theory2.3 Literature review2.3.1 Studies on learning motivation abroad Since 1995，Gardner and his colleagues have conducted a number of studies in the field of SL learning which th

38、ey advanced for second language acquisition has been widely used to study second language in many learning settings(Gardner 1 985；Gardner and Macintyre 1 993) Even language learning motivation is so complex that dichotomy of Gardners will not explain clearly, especially in the foreign language learn

39、ing context(Brown 2002；Ely 1986)Brown(2001)makes the point that both integrative and instrumental motivations are not necessarily exclusive, but most learners select a combination of both orientations rather than one form of motivation when learning a second language.2.3.2 Studies on learning motiva

40、tion at home In China, there are still many scholars who study second language motivation. One of famous scholar Wen Qiufang(2001)claims deep motive and surface motive, which are based on the Stimulus-Response theory, and concerns the persistence of motivation. She reports a study on developmental p

41、atterns of modifiable learner variables (motivation, beliefs and strategies) and their relations based on the questionnaire data. The research results indicate that the relations among the variables such as motivation, beliefs and strategies are fairly stable. Hao Mei and Hao Ruoping(2001)research i

42、n the relationship between English achievement and achievement motivation. Finally, they found that motivation affects beliefs and strategies, and beliefs also affect strategies. From the late1980s, there are many works and articles are published by well-known Chinese scholars. For example，the artic

43、le research on English Learning Motivation and Strategies(Hua Huifang 1998)proved that students learning motivation is the key point to make learning happen，develop and complete. The studies of motivation in our country have attracted more and more attentionAll of them show the close relationship be

44、tween motivation and language learning Chapter 3 Research design and findings3.1 Purpose of the survey The study aims at investigating the primary school students motivational beliefs about English learning and teaching, and to present some implications for primary school English teaching and learni

45、ng. I undertake for the following two purposes. Firstly, to raise teachers awareness of primary students learning motivation; secondly, to stimulate the learners English learning motivation.3.2 Subjects of the survey The subjects in this study were 74 primary school students from N0.44 primary schoo

46、l of Urumqi. There are 34 girls and 40 boys. Their ages ranged from 8 to 12. I divided the students into two groups according to the marks of their final examination last term： Group One-the top students (35), Group Two-the other students (39). The subjects were assured that the information was only

47、 used for research and would not have any influence on them. 3.3 Instrument of the survey The questionnaire contained 35 statements. Whats more，the questionnaire was delivered in Chinese rather than English in order to avoid any possible misunderstanding，because the subjects were just primary school

48、 learners 3.4 Results and DiscussionThe general approach used in this study was to collect the questionnaire data from primary school students on their motivation in English learning. After the paper was collected, I compared the differences of learning motivation between these two groups and then c

49、alculate each average score. For example, the first question of Group One (35), if their whole mark is 105, then their average score will be 3 points. It may be 2.6 in Group Two (39). Through the comparison may understand the differences between two groups. According to above results, there are obvi

50、ous differences between Group One and Group Two. The following are some differences：1) There is a stronger integrative motivation in Group One, while Group Two has stronger instrumental motivation. 2) Their opinions on effect of environment are also different. Group one thinks that classroom environ

51、ment has an important influence on their learning motivation，while Group Two are totally opposite. To sum up, the funny and relaxed classroom instruction is a main factor of exciting students learning motivation.3) The students learning motivation of two groups also has some common points. The stude

52、nts of the two groups are both thinking about how to learn English well and both have strong motivation of reading English books. The results show us that teachers should pay much attention to intrinsic motivation and take measures to foster their intrinsic motivation. Chapter4 Implications and sugg

53、estions for teachersIt is widely accepted that primary school pupils learning motivation is hard to be investigated and measured. This makes the study more challengeable as well as significant. The following are some suggestions for teachers in primary schools.4.1 Investigate pupils motivation kinds

54、 periodicallyPrimary school teachers in Urumqi need to recognize that their pupils have specific motivation factors and needs, some are likely to be among the frequently mentioned reasons. Others are many and varied： their parents pressure, the classmates pressure, and cultural curiosity. Specially,

55、 teachers need to be aware that their pupils motivation type and degrees might change in kind and degree over time.To encourage pupil learning motivation, each teacher should nurture and promote this integrative motivation within and for their pupils. In this study, three main motivational component

56、s that influence pupils English learning motivation are Interest in English, Interest in learning English and Integrative orientation (learning English for going abroad to study and travel). This indicates that English learning motivation of pupils in Urumqi No.44 primary schools can be called as in

57、tegrative motivation. This integrative motivation, as compared to instrumental motivation, tends to have long-term advantages for English language learners. In this study, the author also interviewed some pupils and parents in different primary school; it found that pupils have a positive attitude t

58、oward English and English learning, but the idea of childrens parents works much more. These parents hope their children to learn English more successfully just for their children to become upper level people, to be distinguishable from the others or to go into a good university in future to get a good job. From this point, pupils parents have an instrumental orientation toward pupils English learning. Children dont