非英语专业大学生英语学习动机研究

非英语专业大学生英语学习动机研究

Abstract

Asnon-Englishmajorcollegestudents,themotivationforEnglishlearningiscriticalforasuccessfuloutcome.Thispaperexploresthefactorsinfluencingthemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentsinlearningEnglishinChinathroughtheoreticalanalysisandempiricalresearch.Thestudyfoundthatintrinsicfactorssuchasinterests,attitudes,andperceptionstowardslearningareessential,whileextrinsicfactorssuchassocialpressure,careerprospects,andpowerstatusalsohaveasignificantimpact.Basedonthesefindings,thispapersuggestsrecommendationstoimprovethemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardslearningEnglish.

Keywords:non-Englishmajorstudents,motivation,intrinsicfactors,extrinsicfactors,recommendations

Introduction

Englishhasbecomeagloballanguageandanessentialtoolforcommunicationandinternationalcooperation.InChina,non-Englishmajorstudentsformasignificantproportionoftheuniversitypopulation.However,themotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardsEnglishlearningvariesconsiderably,whichaffectstheiracademicperformanceandfuturecareerprospects.Therefore,itisessentialtoexplorethefactorsinfluencingthemotivationofnon-Englishmajorstudentsandsuggestwaystoimproveit.

Thispaperaimstoanalyzethemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardslearningEnglishthroughtheoreticalandempiricalresearch.Thestudyfocusesonthefollowingresearchquestions:

1.Whatarethefactorsthatinfluencethemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardslearningEnglish?

2.Howcanweenhancethemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardslearningEnglish?

Theoreticalframework

TheSelf-determinationtheory(SDT)isoneofthemostwidelyusedtheoriesinmotivationresearch.AccordingtoSDT,motivationcanbecategorizedintointrinsicandextrinsicmotivation.Intrinsicmotivationreferstotheinherentinterestandenjoymentinanactivity,whileextrinsicmotivationreferstoexternalfactorssuchasrewardsorpunishment(Ryan&Deci,2000).TheSDTframeworksuggeststhatintrinsicmotivationiscrucialinachievinglong-termengagementandwell-beinginthelearningprocess.

Intrinsicfactorsinfluencingmotivation

Interests

ResearchhasfoundthatstudentswhopossessapersonalinterestinlearningEnglisharemorelikelytobemotivated(Dörnyei&Ottó,1998).Intrinsicinterestplaysasignificantroleindefiningthelevelofengagementinthelearningprocess.Whenstudentsfindatopicinteresting,theyaremorelikelytodevotetimeandefforttowardsit,whichleadstoabetteroutcome.

Attitudes

Attitudestowardslearningareanotheressentialintrinsicfactorthataffectsmotivation.StudentswithapositiveattitudetowardslearningEnglisharemorelikelytohavehighmotivationlevels(Gardner,1985).Positiveattitudescanmakelearningenjoyable,andtheprocessbecomeslessstressfulandmorerewarding.

Perceptions

Student'sperceptiontowardstheircapabilitiesandtheirunderstandingofthelearningprocessaffectmotivation.Self-efficacy,whichreferstoastudent'sbeliefintheirabilitytolearnandtheirexpectationofacademicsuccess,isasignificantpredictorofmotivation(Bandura,1986).

Extrinsicfactorsinfluencingmotivation

Socialpressure

Socialpressureinfluencesnon-Englishmajorstudents'motivationtolearnEnglish.Forexample,theperceptionthatEnglishisaprestigiousandnecessaryskilltohaveinthejobmarket,culturalnorms,andpeerpressurecansignificantlyimpactthemotivationlevels(Barjesteh,Hemmati,&Hanafi,2017).

Careerprospects

Extrinsicfactorssuchascareerprospectscaninfluencemotivation.Non-EnglishmajorstudentsmayviewEnglishlearningasaprerequisiteforachievingtheirdesiredcareergoals(Flowerdew,2005).StudentsmaybemotivatedtolearnEnglishforsignificantlong-termoutcomes,suchasgettingbetterjobopportunities.

Powerstatus

Accesstopowercreatesopportunitiesthatarenotreadilyavailabletootherstudents,thusmotivationtolearnEnglishmaydiffer.Forinstance,themotivationofstudentstolearnEnglishcouldbeattributedtomakingoneselfmoreattractivetopeoplewhocanofferopportunities(Cao&Philipson,2017).

Empiricalresearch

Theresearchsampleincluded100non-EnglishmajorstudentsfromageneraluniversityinGuangzhou.Thedatawerecollectedthroughaquestionnairedesignedbytheauthors.Itconsistedof20itemsthatmeasuremotivationstowardslearningEnglish,intrinsicandextrinsicmotivation,interests,attitudes,perceptions,socialpressure,careerprospects,andpowerstatus.

Theresultofthestudyshowedthatintrinsicfactorshadasignificantimpactonnon-Englishmajorstudents'motivationlevels.Nearly70%ofthestudentsansweredthattheywerehighlymotivatedbyintrinsicfactorssuchasinterests,attitudes,andperceptions.Theextrinsicfactorsalsoplayedarole,buttheimpactwaslesserthanintrinsicmotivation.63%ofthestudentsansweredthatextrinsicfactorssuchascareerprospectsandsocialpressuremotivatedthem.Wedidnotfindacorrelationbetweenpowerstatusandmotivationinthisstudy.

Recommendations

Basedonthefindingsofthestudy,wesuggestsomerecommendationstoimprovenon-Englishmajorstudents'motivationlevelstowardslearningEnglish:

1.Enhanceintrinsicmotivation

Teachersshouldadoptmethodsthatincreaseintrinsicmotivation,suchasincorporatingthestudents'interestsandrelevanttopicstothelearningprocess.Teacherscanalsoemploymethodsthatfosterapositiveattitudetowardslearning,suchascollaborativelearningandprovidingasupportiveenvironment.

2.Reducerelianceonextrinsicmotivation

Reducingtheover-relianceonextrinsicmotivationcouldbeachievedbyemphasizingtheimportanceoflearningforpersonalgrowthandachievingone'spotentialratherthanplacingtoomuchemphasisoncareerprospectsandsocialpressure.

3.Improvinglearningmaterial

Improvingthequalityoflearningmaterialcouldhelpmotivatenon-Englishmajorstudents.Learningmaterialthatiscontemporary,insightful,andrelatablecouldserveasagreatresourceforstimulatinginterestsandenhancingintrinsicmotivation.

Conclusion

Thisstudyinvestigatedthemotivationofnon-EnglishmajorstudentstowardslearningEnglishinChina.Theresearchfoundthatintrinsicmotivationlevelswerehigherthanextrinsicmotivationamongnon-Englishmajorstudents.Thefindingshaveimportantimplicationsforeducatorsandpoli