英语(师范类)本科毕业论文

本科毕业论文
Research on Non-English Majors’ Current Motivation in English Learning
Contents Abstract (2)
Introduction (3)
I. Introduction to Motivation (4)
A. Research Background (4)
B. Research Issues (6)
II. Research Methodology (6)
A. Sampling (6)
B. Instrument (6)
C. Data Collection and Analysis (7)
III. The Results and Discussion of the Survey (7)
A. The Analysis of English Learning Interest (7)
B. The Analysis of the Main Purposes of English Learning (7)
C. The Analysis of Influencing Factors of English Learning Motivation (8)
IV. Summary and Inspiration of the Survey (10)
A. Major Findings (10)
B. The Inspiration of Non-English Majors’ English Teaching (11)
1. Cultivating Students’ Interest in Learning English (11)
2. Remodeling Students’ English Learning Motivation (11)
3. Focusing on the Role of Internal and External Factors in Learning Motivation (12)
Conclusion (13)
Notes (15)
Bibliography (16)
Acknowledgments (17)
内江师范学院本科毕业论文（设计）
Abstract: With the deepening of foreign language teaching researches at home and abroad, an increasing number of attention has been paid to the study of English learning motivation. So far, oceans of scholars have paid more attention to the study of college students’English learning motivation in Sci-Tech Universities. However, based on the sampling survey of non-English junior majors’ English learning motivation in Neijiang Normal University, this paper analyzes the motivation of non-English majors in the normal university, the interest in English learning, the main purposes of English learning, the factors that influence English learning motivation and the inspiration for non-English majors’ English teaching. It is designed to stimulate non-English majors’ English learning motivation and improve the quality of English teaching.
Key Words: motivation; English learning; non-English majors
摘要：随着国内外外语教学研究的不断深入，英语学习动机的研究越来越受到重视。

目前，学者们侧重对理工科非英语专业大学生英语学习动机的研究。

然而，基于内江师范学院非英语专业大三学生英语学习动机的抽样调查，本文分析了师范类高校非英语专业的大学生英语学习的兴趣、英语学习的主要目的、影响英语学习动机的因素以及对非英语专业大学英语教学的启示，旨在激发非英语专业大学生的英语学习动机，提高英语教学质量。

关键词：动机; 英语学习;非英语专业大学生
Research on Non-English Majors’ Current Motivation in
English Learning
Introduction
With the development of the society, English is increasingly becoming a global language, mainly due to globalization. As the backbone of promoting social development, college students are supposed to be proficient in using English, which is their essential basic skill. Therefore, how to effectively stimulate college students’ interest in learning English and develop their activeness have been received the widespread attention by domestic and foreign scholars. Actually speaking, the motivation of English learning is the most dynamic factor of learners’ individual factors, and it has become a hot spot in the past half century. It is said that whoever you are, English majors or non-English majors, learning English well is a significant way to live better. Thus it is indispensable for researchers to study the current motivation in English learning. Up to now, although there are a great number of researches about college students’motivation, the research objects need to be classified more and more specifically. Therefore, this paper will dig into the English learning motivation of non-English majors in the normal university on the basis of the research of non-English junior majors’ English learning motivation in Neijiang Normal University.
First of all, the general knowledge of motivation should be focused, such as the definitions of learning motivation, the types of learning motivation and the influencing factors of learning motivation. What’s more, after the research issues have been stated clearly, the paper introduces the research methodology, such as the sampling, instrument and data collection and analysis. After that, the paper is concerned about the results and discussion of the research, including the analysis of English learning interest, the analysis of the main purposes of English learning and the analysis of influencing factors of English learning motivation. Finally, some major findings are summarized and quite a few inspirations of non-English majors’English teaching are suggested according to the results and analysis of the research.
It is reported that the motivation will influence students’ English learning, especially for the non-English majors, so motivation has played a significant role when students learn English. Nowadays, the linguistic competence about English of non-English majors is becoming more and more important. Consequently, the research on non-English majors’ current motivation in
English learning is quite necessary. This paper is designed to discover the non-English majors’current motivation in English learning, analyze the results of the research, offer some suggestions to the non-English majors’English teaching to stimulate their English learning motivation and improve the quality of English teaching and learning.
I. Introduction to Motivation
A.Research Background
As everyone knows, motivation is one of the most important factors that will influence st udents’ English achievements. It has a close relationship with students’ success or failure in English teaching in college. Therefore, teachers must pay more attention to this aspect. As for motivation, its definitions, classifications and influencing factors should be known.
Firstly, motivation is a term which usually appears in researches of the second rather than the first language learning, and different definitions of leaning motivation are given by different researchers from different angles. Gard ner and Macintyre argue “the learning motivation is composed of three components: the desire to achieve the goal, the effort to achieve the goal, and the satisfaction of accomplishing the task;”1Williams suggests that learning motivation that enables learners to put in efforts for a period of time to achieve the established goals, is a state of emotional and cognitive awakening; and Wen Qiufang points out that English motivation can be simply interpreted to the reasons and purposes of English learning. Generally speaking, motivation has different definitions from various aspects, but the majority of people accept this opinion that motivation includes the goal, effort and sustenance.
Secondly, as people continue to deepen the study of foreign language teaching, investigations of the connotations of learning motivation are also more abundant. There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes. In accordance with different standards, there are different classifications of learning motivation. Consequently, there is no correct classification, but it is necessary to know their standards. Although some ideas are good or some views are bad, they are accepted. At least, it is worthwhile to acquire their opinions from different aspects. In the classification of motivation, Gardner and Lambert assert that learning motivation is divided into instrumental learning motivation and integrated learning motivation, from the perspective of language learning in social psychology. Instrumental learning motivation is not out of inner love but for a particular purpose to learn a language, such as passing an examination, obtaining a certificate, finding a good job, looking up a
document and so on. Integrated learning motivation means a learner acquires a language from the heart, has a strong interest in the target language, or even wants to become one of the members of the target language community. Another more classical classification is divided into intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation by Deci and other researchers from the cognitive psychology point of view. Intrinsic motivation is out of interest, curiosity and other intrinsic factors to learn a language. While extrinsic motivation refers to external factors such as rewards, employment to learn a language.
In the study of the types of English learning motivation in Chinese native environment, Gao Yihong and his colleagues summed up seven common types of motivation, including intrinsic interest, immediate achievement, learning situation, going abroad, social responsibility, individual development and information media,which can be further generalized as instrumental, cultural and situational motivations. Wen Qiufang also from a psychological point of view, divided the interest into direct interest and indirect interest, and thus divided the motivation into surface motivation and deep motivation. As far as she is concerned, surface motivation and deep motivation, are based on whether they have direct interest in what they learned to distinguish. According to the theory, interest can be cultivated and changed. Therefore, the two motivations can be transformed into each other.
Thirdly, it is generally known that there are so many factors which will influence the motivation, such as, teaching material, teaching methods, classroom atmosphere, self-anxiety, self-confidence. On the one hand, “Dornyei analyzes learning motivation from three aspects: language, learner and learning situation. He suggests that curriculum, teachers and teaching environment will affect the learning motivation.”2 On the other hand, Williams & Burden also put forward their own motivation model. They claim that there are two kinds of factors that affect the motivation, that is, internal factors and external factors. Internal factors are most likely to include learners’ interest, learning attitude, their expectations and so on, while external factors consist of teachers, teaching materials, learning environment and other factors.
Learning motivation has been always considered as a key factor in second language acquisition, which is one of the main variables that restrict students’ foreign language learning achievement. Thus learning motivation plays a crucial role for English learners in English learning. When it is suitable for the actual situation of learners, even to a certain extent, it can make up learners’ urgent-needed language skills and language conditions. Therefore, a growing number of education workers study learning factors which includes learning motivation, and
the progress in theory or application has an important guide in teaching.
B. Research Issues
This study attempts to explore non-English majors’ current motivation in English learning. Specific research questions are as follows:
1. Are non-English majors interested in learning English?
2. What are the main purposes of non-English majors’ English learning?
3. What are the influencing factors of English learning motivation of non-English majors?
II. Research Methodology
A. Sampling
This study adopted the method of samplin g—specifically 130 juniors were randomly selected from 14 secondary schools (except foreign languages school) of Neijiang Normal University. Taken bedroom as a unit, a student was randomly selected. T hat’s to say, the 130 junior students came from different bedrooms. Among them, 58 participants were boys and 72 were girls. These secondary schools include the College of Arts, the College of Chemical Engineering, the College of Music, the College of Physical Education and so on. As juniors, after the first two years of basic English learning, they have a more in-depth and stable understanding. However, in the previous studies on English learning motivation, few of researchers regarded the non-English junior majors in the normal universities as the research subjects. Therefore, there is still an army of research space for this kind of study. As a matter of fact, 130 questionnaires were actually issued and 130 valid questionnaires were collected. The effective rate was 100%.
B. Instrument
The measuring tool used in this study is the questionnaire. The questionnaire refers to Wang Zhimin’s “Investigation of College Students’ Motivation in English Learning”. Surely, the necessary modifications on the basis of the actual situation were made. The questionnaire consists of two parts. The first part is the subject’s personal informatio n (secondary school, gender, major, grade and the level of English); the second part involves 30 questions, including the interest of English learning (Items 1-5), a total of 5; the main purposes of English learning (Items 6-12), a total of 7; the influencing factors of learning motivation (Items 13- 30), a total of 18. All of these questions in this section are measured with three scales, “disagreement”, “uncertainty” and “cons ist ent”. What is supposed to highlight here is that the questionnaire is
filled in an anonymous manner, and subjects are asked to fill out the questionnaire truthfully. Hence it won’t trigger any trouble to the subjects. (Reference to the appendix)
C. Data Collection and Analysis
Above all, the investigators checked the number and validity of the collected questionnaires; for instance, whether the corresponding option is omitted or not. After that, using computer to count the data was required. In order to ensure the accuracy of the data, a review is conducted.
III. The Results and Discussion of the Survey
A. The Analysis of English Learning Interest
Table 1 The Interest of English Learning %
Items Disagreement Uncertainty Consistent
1. I like English. 53.8 25.4 20.8
2. I think learning English is very important. 16.2 18.5 65.3
3. I am interested in English and its culture. 46.9 23.8 29.3
4. I find English boring and dull. 33.8 23.8 42.4
5. After I get credits, I won’t learn English. 31.5 20.8 47.7
Table 1 demonstrates that 53.8% of non-English majors do not like English; only 29.3% of students are interested in English and its culture; 42.4% of them think English is so boring and dull; 47.7% of them no longer plan to continue to learn English after they get credits but 65.3% of them agree that learning English is very important. It can be seen, although most of non-English majors know that learning English is quite necessary for them, more than 50% of the students are lack of interest in learning English. That’s to say, every secondary school has offered English courses, while most of the non-English majors do not like learning English.
What are the reasons of this phenomenon? Faced with this kind of situation, people should consider it twice. It is said that interest is the best teacher. According to the results, non-English majors are lack of interest in English learning, which is bad for them to learn English well. Therefore, how to develop students’interest in English learning is an urgent task for researchers, even for teachers.
B. The Analysis of the Main Purposes of English Learning
Table 2 The Main Purposes of English Learning %
Items Disagreement Uncertainty Consistent
6. To pass the final exam. 19.2 10.8 70.0
7. To get the scholarship. 24.6 10.0 65.4
8. To pass the CET4 and CET6. 29.2 5.4 65.4
9. To prepare for the further study. 31.5 20.0 48.5
10. To find a better job. 16.1 22.3 61.6
11. To go abroad. 56.1 20.0 23.9
12. To attain higher income. 16.9 22.3 60.8
As it can be seen from Table 2, the percentage of non-English majors who learn English in order to pass the final examination, get the scholarship, pass CET4 and CET6, find a good job and attain higher income is as high as 60.0% to 70.0%. Thus, most of the students’ motivation to learn English is the above-mentioned “instrumental m otivation”. Naturally, students with this learning motivation lack sustainable learning objectives, which is not conducive to improve their comprehensive English literacy. From the result, it is obvious to infer that the majority of non-English majors who learn English just regard it as a tool or means to achieve their goals and these goals are short-term, which can not keep or maintain their motivation to study English.
The objectives in the new National English Curriculum include 5 parts: language, language skill, learning strategies, affect and cultural understanding. Learning English is not just a tool to pursue a goal but a self-development process, which never comes to an end. Instrumental motivation is not supposed to dominate the trend, and the teacher should cultivate students’ integrated motivation. The reason is that students should understand the true value and essence of learning English. That is, students should develop all-round, not just stop learning English when they achieve their aims, which is not a wise decision for English learners.
C. The Analysis of Influencing Factors of English Learning Motivation
Table 3 The Influencing Factors of English Learning Motivation %
Items Consistent Factors
13. Teaching materials will affect my interest. 50.2 Teaching materials
14. Teaching methods will affect my attitude. 53.1 Teaching methods
15. Classroom atmosphere will affect my motion. 54.6 Classroom atmosphere
16. I am anxious when I speak English. 55.4 Self-anxiety
17. I am nervous to answer teacher’s questions. 58.5 Self-anxiety
18. I feel scared to contact with others. 50.4 Self-confidence
19. I think I have the ability to learn English. 33.1 Self-confidence
20. Dropping scores won’t affect my mood. 17.7 Self-confidence
21. I can finish the homework easily. 37.7 Self-confidence
22. I feel I didn’t grasp too much knowledge. 67.7 Learning expectation
23. My achievements attributed to my effort. 61.5 Self-attribution
24. I can concentrate on the study of English. 19.2 Self-control
25. I can learn English well consciously. 36.2 Self-control
26. I ascribe a failure to learn English to its hardness. 22.3 Self-attribution
27. I have a timetable for English study after class. 10.8 Learning time
28. I study English every day at least for 2 hours. 10.8 Learning time
29. I give up English work that required much time. 31.6 Learning time
30. I strive to make progress in English learning. 71.6 Learning expectation
Table 3 shows: the factors that affect the English learning motivation are varied. More than 50.0% of the students believe that external factors such as teaching materials, teaching methods and classroom environment will affect their motivation to learn English. When it comes to the students’ internal factors, most of the students admit that they w ill feel nervous and anxious in English learning, lack self-confidence in English learning, and have poor self-control and little time to learn English. And there are still 22.3% of them hold the view that they are not good at learning English, due to their lack of English learning ability. The data also demonstrates that their expectations for English learning reach as high as 71.6%, while 67.7% of them feel that they did not achieve their desired learning results. It is universally acknowledged that motivation is complex and its influencing factors are also complex. In order to stimulate and maintain students’English learning motivation, finding out its influencing factors is quite essential.
The main influencing factors of English learning motivation have been discussed, so the first priority is to explore the relationship between the influencing factors and the level of students’English learning motivation, and seek the strategies to make best use of these influencing factors to build up and maintain students’ English learning motivation. According to the chart mentioned above, most of the influencing factors are internal factors, which are related to students themselves. That means, students play a key role in English learning. However, based on the data offered above, these internal influencing factors are just the
weakness for students, so it is responsible for teachers, parents and researchers to do all in their full strength together to help students deal with them. After all, students are the center in the learning process. If students can manage these internal influencing factors well, their English learning motivation must be improved as well.
IV. Summary and Inspiration of the Survey
A.Major Findings
As it can be seen from Table 1, the massive majority of non-English majors are lack of interest in learning English. If their intrinsic interest in English learning can not be stimulated, it will not be conducive for students to learn and master English. On the contrary, students with a strong interest in English learning will be more willing to learn English. Different levels of interest will lead to different degrees of motivation behavior. By and large, appropriate interest will benefit the learning results. According to the data, it implies that their interest is in a low level. Obviously, it is urgent to deal with the negative situation.
From Table 2, it displays that most of non-English majors learning English is mainly to pass the final examination, pass the CET4 and CET6, find a good job and so on, which can be classified into “instrumental m otivation”. Here, the results are consistent with the conclusion of Hua Huifang and Shi Yongzhen. Although this kind of motivation can provide a major impetus for students to achieve a certain purpose and strive to learn English, they will not continue to learn it once they reach their goals. As a result, the effect is short-term. In a long term, it is not good for them to acquire English. As a matter of fact, English also has its advantages which students need to find. To be honest, it is worth learning English well.
In Table 3, the influencing factors of non-English majors in English learning motivation originate from the interaction of external and internal factors. On the one hand, the learning motivation of most students will be influenced by the teaching materials, teachers and teaching environment. On the other hand, due to their own anxiety, low self-confidence, poor self-control, failure to correct attribution, added to their lack of time to invest in English and other internal factors will not help stimulate their motivation, let alone keeping their interest. Generally speaking, they have high expectation to English learning, but they are not satisfied with the actual learning results. The gap between high expectation and low effect will also reduce their learning motivation. It is true that the variable influencing factors are complex, but teachers should adjust both external and internal factors to help students learn English, not just
grumble and wait.
B. The Inspiration of Non-English Majors’ English Teaching
In the questionnaire, the non-English majors’ English learning interest, the main purposes of English learning and the influencing factors of English learning motivation have been discussed. Based on the data collected, general ideas have been got, which can give a guide for non-English majors’ English teaching. The following are some inspirations summarized from the current motivation in English learning.
1. Cultivating S tudents’ Interest in Learning English
From this survey, just 20.8% of non-English majors are absorbed in English. How to make the remaining 79.2% of them become interested in English is a problem required focusing on. Deci and Ryan argue that: “When students’ curiosity and interest are stimulated, they will generate the intrinsic motivation. When the educational environment provides a challenging, stimulating, and autonomous atmosphere, the students’ motivation will be like a spring.” 3 What teachers should do is sparing no effort to build up students’ interest in English learning.
There are a large number of ways. For example, with the development of the Internet, teachers can use the network to carry out a variety of activities and stimulate students’ interest in learning English. Faced with a great variety of requirements of students, traditional teaching is not suitable for it. In other words, teachers should take advantage of all the feasible means to cultivate students’interest in learning English. Students are full of curiosity of fresh things, consequently teachers can make use of the Internet to arouse their interest and focus. In addition, teachers can also win students’ trust and favor by showing their charm in the teaching process. It is reported that the charm of teachers is related to the effect of students’ learning motivation. In particular, most of students are more willing to listen to the words of the teachers who are kind, patient, knowledgeable and humorous. If students appreciate and respect their teachers, they will be interested in their courses and study hard. Arousing students’interest in English learning is the first and most important step, because the achievement of students with strong interest is better and they are more willing to learn English even without the supervision of teachers or after class.
2. Remodeling S tudents’ English Learning Motivation
English learning motivation can be changed, cultivated and improved. The final goal of English learning is not just to get a diploma, take a few certificates or simply to find a job, but master and utilize this kind of language, explore its culture and way of thinking, and know
more about the world through this language. In the light of the data and analysis above, it explains that non-English majors’English learning motivation is oriented by instrumental motivation, whose pros and cons have been discussed above. English as a global language must have its own charm. Teachers should guide students to deal with English learning rationally and by their heart to feel the language of English and the cultural heritage of English-speaking countries, rather than instrumental learning motivation.
Nowadays, it’s difficult for some students to deal with the English well, so the teachers should provide the help. The behavior of the teacher, the thinking of the teacher, the aim of the teaching and the culture of the English will influence non-English majors’English learning motivation. In the process of remodeling students’ English learning motivation, teachers play an important role, so they are supposed to lead students form a proper English learning motivation. In this regard, teachers can combine direct ways and indirect ways to remodel students’English learning motivation. That’s to say, sometimes teachers have the right to explain the reasons to reshape English learning motivation for students from the perspective of the theory. But most of time, teachers are supposed to guide students to understand the must to change their improper English learning motivation from the teaching practices. After all, facts speak louder than words. Reshaping students’English learning motivation is quite necessary for them. Appropriate English Learning motivation will benefit them to acquire this language as soon as possible.
3. Focusing on the Role of Internal and External Factors in Learning Motivation
The factors that affect English learning motivation are complex, and the study of the strategies to stimulate and maintain English learning motivations is a systematic process. It not only needs to create external conditions, but also pay special attention to the cultivation of learners’ internal factors.
As for the external factors, three aspects should be taken into account. Above all, teachers play a significant role, who can create a suitable atmosphere to motivate students to learn English through interesting teaching methods, harmonious classroom environment and so on. It is true that the classroom is the most important place for the majority of Chinese non-English majors to learn English and teachers are the controllers, assessors, organizers, prompters and providers in the class. Then, parents’ attitude towards children will influence their motivation as well. As the saying goes, parents are the first teachers of the children. Besides the influence of teachers, parents’attitude and behaviors will have impact on children’s English learning。