A Study On Self-identity Changes In English Learning Of English Major Undergraduates In Xin Jiang Universities

In resent years, more and more scholars pay close attention to language learners’ self-identity in language learning. In the existing researches, foreign researches are carried out under second language context, and their subjects are mainly immigrants. Domestic scholars focus on self-identity of students from universities and foreign language universities in some developed cities in North and East of China, but studies on self-identity of English major undergraduates in Xinjiang are rare. Therefore, the author investigates the general condition and developmental changes of English major undergraduates’ self-identity in Xinjiang universities. It can enrich related researches and give implications to English and teaching and learning.In the present study, the self-identity in English learning is divided into seven dimensions on the basis of Gao Yihong’s research (2011):positive self-confidence change, negative self-confidence change, productive change, sub tractive change, split change, additive change, and zero change. The subjects are395English major undergraduates in Xinjiang University, Shihezi University and Xinjiang Normal University, among whom,230students are freshmen, and165students are juniors. They are investigated twice respectively during their first and the third term. The author first carries out the descriptive statistics to get general situation of self-identity in2012and2013. Second, the author carries out One-way ANOVA to compare differences in condition of self-identity among students with different backgrounds. Third, the Paired-Sample T-test is carried out to test the developmental changes of self-identity. As for research methods, the author uses a questionnaire adopted from Gao (2011) and an interview as a complementary. Data of the study is analyzed by SPSS19.0. Research findings are listed in the following:1) All the students (juniors and freshmen from three different universities) experience positive self-confidence change, productive change, additive change, and zero change significantly. Negative self-confidence, subtractive change, and split change are not significant in2012and2013.2) Differences in condition of self-identity exist in students with different backgrounds. In2012, students with different family backgrounds have significant differences in negative self-confidence change and additive change. Students from countryside are more likely to experience negative self-confidence change than students from town and city. Students from city experience more additive changes than those from countryside. Students with different English learning starting ages have significant differences in negative self-confidence change and subtractive change. Students who start to learn English at9-12and13-15experience more negative self-confidence changes and subtractive changes than those who start to learn English below8. In2013, students with different family backgrounds have significant differences in additive change. Students from city experience more additive changes than those from town and countryside. Students with different English learning starting ages have no significant differences in condition of self-identity in2013.3) In different learning periods, students’self-identity does have some changes. For all the participants, negative self-confidence, additive change, and subtractive change increase significantly.This study enriches the study on self-identity in English learning, and the results of this study give implications to English teaching and learning. On one hand, teachers need to use different ways to monitor learners’self-identity, and choose appropriate teaching contents and teaching methods to stimulate positive self-identity changes. On the other hand, students need to have a reflective and critical learning of two different languages and cultures to achieve productive changes.