Research on Motivation and English Learning

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  Abstract:In China, people begin to learn English from younger age. Learning a foreign language isn't an easy job, and sometimes it is boring and dull. Motivation is critical in English learning, thus, how to effectively motivate students in English learning is very important. First, we show the definition of motivation and then explain types of motivation, following with the research on motivation of some students in East College. At last, we show several effective ways to motivate students in English learning.
  Key words: motivation; English learning;
  Ⅰ.Introduction
  Many empirical studies have been done to investigate the factors affecting the language learning. The factors can be divided into two types: external factors and internal factors. External factors include national origin, teaching method, language learning environment, task requirement and so on. Internal factors include age, gender, motivation, belief, cognitive style and so on. In Jakobovits’s research, he shows that among the influential factors to English learning, motivation takes up 33%, so motivation is very important to English learning. In our country, English learners have become younger and younger. They learn English when they are in primary schools and even in kindergartens. Furthermore, some of the students have to attend some after-school English classes on the weekends. Do they really like doing this? Maybe the results that they got could show us the answer. As teachers we should know some psychological theories to encourage and enhance the English learning of students. So we design this questionnaire to know the motivations of our students. We hope it could help us in the future teaching.
  Ⅱ.Definition of motivation
  In psychology, motivation is a force that energizes and directs behavior toward a goal, it refers to the inner drive, impulse, emotion, or desire that moves one to a particular action. Or in more technical terms, motivation refers to the choice people make as to what experiences or goals they will approach or avoid, and the degree of effort they will exert in that respect.
  In language learning, motivation is not only an intensive desire for learning and acquiring knowledge of English, but also an inner cause that push students forward in English learning with enthusiasm and willingness. Students who have strong learning motivation take a positive attitude and make a great deal of efforts to study English. They have clear goals, so they usually make greater progress than those who haven’t strong and correct motivation. It is obvious that motivation is such a basic and important factor in language learning.   Ⅲ. Types of motivation
  Motivation can be described into different categories from different angles.
  Gardner and Lambert introduced the notions of instrumental and integrative motivation. In the context of language learning, instrumental motivation refers to the learner's desire to learn a language for utilitarian purposes. Students with instrumental motivation learn English for getting good jobs, passing the exams, etc.; whereas integrative motivation refers to the desire to learn a language to integrate successfully into the target language community. They have great interests in the culture of the target languages, hope to communication with the people there, and finally become a member of them.
  People also distinguish another two types of motivation: intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, considering the source of the drive. Intrinsic motivation refers to the learner's own inner drive to the language: I want to learn. In other word, students are willing to learn the knowledge that is new and interesting in the purpose of fulfilling of their curiosity, the need to know and feeling of competence and growth that cause intrinsic motivation. Their purpose of learning is also the enjoyment of the learning process not for praise or rewards; whereas extrinsic motivation refers to external wish or requirement exerted on the learners: I am asked and required to learn. When students work hard to win their parents’ favor, gain teachers’ praise, or earn rewards such as pocket money, we can conclude that their motivation is primarily extrinsic, their reason for work and study lie primarily outside themselves and the aim of learning is not for the knowledge itself but the outward rewards in order to gain self-esteem. And the outward praise and rewards encourage students to study more actively.
  People usually agreed that integrative motivation and intrinsic motivation play a more important function than instrumental motivation and extrinsic motivation on language learning. However, we should be aware that they are not static, that is ,instrumental motivation can sometimes turn into integrative motivation and extrinsic motivation can sometimes turn into intrinsic motivation, and vice versa.
  Ⅳ. Research on Motivation
  We choose one class as the research objectives from different non-English majors. The total number of students is 113. Because we've never done this kind of work before, we sent out 100 pieces in order to make our calculation job easier. All of the handouts are recycled. The percentage of recycling is 100%. 92% of them are valid.   The statistics show us that almost more than 90% students are extrinsic-motivated. When we interview some students, most of them said that they learnt English just for the final exam or CET-4, just as the statistics showed. Their motivation is primarily instrumental. We all know that integrative motivation and intrinsic motivation play a more important role during English learning. As teachers we'd better find out the reason why students are extrinsic and instrumental motivated, and try to lead them to the right direction.
  Ⅴ. Ways to motivate students in English learning
  1. Be sensitive to students' needs, feelings. Have a non-judgmental, positive regard to each student. Understand them as complex human being with both virtues and faults.
  2. Be a facilitator rather than an authority figure. Develop a warm rapport with the students to reduce their anxiety.
  3. Promote learner autonomy by acknowledging different ways to goal attainment and learning styles, minimizing external pressure and control and fostering an intrinsic motivation, sharing responsibility with the students in the learning process.
  4. Promote learner curiosity by using varieties of teaching methods and activities. Change is an essential part of maintaining attention because otherwise habituation will set in.
  Ⅵ. Conclusion
  In conclusion, as we talked about above, motivation is an important and the ways to motivate students in English learning is more important to English learning. The ways we mentioned above are relatively effective to motivate students in English learning. As a teacher, it is essential and useful to acquire more knowledge of educational psychology especially motivational rationale and effective methodologies and meanwhile come up with the new techniques to motivate students in English learning.
  參考文献:
  [1] 李昆;俞理明;;大学生英语学习动机、自我效能感和归因与自主学习行为的关系研究[J];外语教学理论与实践;2008年02期
  [2] 刘宏刚;;非英语专业大学生英语学习动机与自主性英语学习能力相关性研究(英文)[J];Teaching English in China;2008年05期。
  [3] 邹慧民,蔡植瑜;中国大学生外语学习动机倾向——对180名中国大学生的实证研究[J];
  [4] 外国语言文学;2005年02期
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